1.

Consider the following clues w.r.t. a State of India: 

1.   It is known as the land of the red river and blue hills. 

2.   It contains three of the six physiographic divisions of India. 

3.   It covers about 2.4 percent of the total areas of the country.

Identify the State based on the given clues.

(a) Karnataka

(b) Andhra Pradesh

(c) Assam

(d) Arunachal Pradesh

2.

What is a "Seismic gap"?.

(a) an active fault that has experienced much volcanic activity recently.

(b) an active fault that has experienced much seismic activity recently.

(c) an active fault that has experienced little or no seismic activity for a long period.

(d) an active fault that has experienced little or no volcanic activity for a long period.

3.

Which is the only planet in our solar system whose average density is less than water?.

(a) Neptune

(b) Uranus

(c) Saturn

(d) Venus

4.

The Tropic of Cancer passes through how many coastal and landlocked states of India respectively ?

(a) 2 and 6

(b) 2 and 5

(c) 1 and 7

(d) 3 and 5

5.

Which of the following is/are true about Siachen Glacier?

(a) It is located in the Eastern Karakoram range in the Himalayas.

(b) Nubra river originates from Siachen Glacier.

(c) Both (a) & (b) are correct.

(d) Neither (a) nor (b) is correct

6.

Planets referred to as ''Gas Giants'' are

(a) Jupiter, Saturn, Venus and Neptune

(b) Jupiter and Mars

(c) Jupiter and Venus

(d) Jupiter and Saturn

7.

Which one of the following statements is correct with reference to our solar system?

(a) The earth is the densest of all the planets in our solar system.

(b) The predominant element in the composition of earth is silicon.

(c) The sun contains 75 percent of the mass of the solar system.

(d) The diameter of the sun is 190 times that of the earth.

8.

Indus River Basin is extended upto

(a) Ladakh, Jammu and Kashmir, Punjab, Haryana

(b) Ladakh, Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Punjab

(c) Ladakh, Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Punjab, Haryana

(d) Ladakh, Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan

9.

(1) Epiphytes exhibit commensalism.

(2)  Epiphytes are found in both tropical and temperate regions.

Which of the above is/are incorrect?.

(a) Only 1 

(b) Only 2

(c) Both 1 and 2

(d) Neither 1 Nor 2

10.

Consider the following statements: -

1. Kumaon Himalayas lie between Satluj and Kali rivers.

2. The sources of Ganga and Yamuna rivers originate in Kumaon Himalayas.

3. Zojila pass is in Kumaon Himalayas.

Which of these statements is/are correct?

(a) 1 and 2

(b) 1 and 3 

(c)1, 2, and 3 

(d) Only 1

11.

1. S-wave particles vibrate perpendicularly to the direction the wave travels. 

2. P-wave particles vibrate parallely to the direction the wave travels. 

3. S-waves can not pass through liquid or gas and hence cease to exist at about 2900 km.

Which of these statements is/are correct about Seismic waves?

(a) 1 and 2

(b) 2 and 3 

(c)1, 2, and 3 

(d) Only 3

12.

Consider the following:

1. Methane makes up far less of the atmosphere than carbon dioxide.

2. Clearing of the rain forests greatly reduces the methane content of the atmosphere.

3. Water vapor is a good absorber of Earth''s outgoing radiation.

Which of the statements is/are correct?

(a) Only 2 and 3 are correct

(b) Only 1 and 3 are correct

(c) Only 1 is correct

(d) All are correct

13.

Grasses are almost absent in

(a) tropical moist deciduous forest

(b) tropical dry evergreen forest

(c) tropical semi-evergreen forest

(d) tropical wet-evergreen forest

14.

Consider the following:

1. Marmagao is the premier iron-ore exporting port of India.

2. Deendayal Port is a tidal port.

3.  Visakhapatnam Port is a landlocked port.

Which of the statements is/are correct?

(a) Only 2 and 3 are correct

(b) Only 1 and 3 are correct

(c) Only 1 is correct

(d) All are correct

15.

Drumlins are

(a) Galcial Hills

(b) Volcanic Hills

(c) Oceanic ridges

(d) Coral reefs

16.

The bulk of heat energy transferred in the troposphere is done by

(a) Convection

(b) Radiation

(c) Conduction 

(d) (b) and (c)

17.

The largest volcanic region on Earth lies in

(a) Antarctica

(b) Japan

(c) Peru

(d) Indonesia

18.

This layer in the Earth does not transmit S-waves.

(a) Crust

(b) Inner core

(c) Mantle

(d) Outer core

19.

What is/are true about Comets?

1. Comets do not have Rings and Moons.

2. Comets are mainly made up of hydrogen and ice.

(a) 1 and 2 are true.

(b) Only 1 is true.

(c) Only 2 is true.

(d) Neither 1 nor 2 is true.

20.

Which of the below is/are incorrect?

(a) The increasing amount of carbon dioxide in the air is slowly raising the temperature of the atmosphere, because it absorbs both the infrared part and ultraviolet part of the solar radiation.

(b) Among Green House Gases, only water vapor has the ability to absorb both incoming UV and outgoing infrared radiation.

(c) Both (a) & (b)

(d) Neither (a) nor (b)

21.

Which of the following is used in making thermocol?.

(a) Polypropylene

(b) Polyethylene

(c) Polystyrene

(d) High density polyethylene

22.

Which of the following is/are true?.

1. Jupiter has lowest axial speed and hence smallest day.

2. Earth has an escape velocity of 11.2 km/s.

3. Mercury is the smallest planet in the solar system.

(a) 1 and 2 only

(b) 1 and 3 only

(c) 3 only

(d) 2 and 3 only

23.

Which of the following statements is not true w.r.t. “Landforms on Sea Floor”?

(a) Continental shelves are very rich in power resources.

(b) Sea plains are confined generally on depth of 4000 – 6000 m.

(c) The continental rise lies partly on the continental crust and partly on the oceanic crust.

(d) The continental slope in the Atlantic Ocean is steeper than the slope in the Pacific Ocean.

24.

Which of the following statements regarding is/are correct?

1. As distance from the equator increases, the duration, amount and reliability of precipitation all increase.

2. In Intertropical Convergence Zone there is essentially no horizontal air movement

3. During an El Nino event the Intertropical Convergence Zone is deflected toward the unusually warm sea surface temperatures in the tropical Pacific.

Select the correct answer using the codes given below.

(a) 1, 2 and 3 only

(b) 1 and 2 only

(c) 2 and 3 only

(d) 1 and 3 only

25.

Which one of the following pairs is correctly matched?

(a) Monsoon Region - Campos

(b) Mediterranean Region - Llanos

(c) Pampas Region - Prairies

(d) Savannah Region – Steppes

1.

·    Assam state, is called ‘land of red river and blue hills’ because of its unique topography.

·    Assam is referred so as the red river refers to the river Brahmaputra, and the blue hills refers to the hills that shines at a distance forming a blue cloud.

·    Assam is a state in Northeast India, situated south of the eastern Himalayas along the Brahmaputra and Barak River valleys.

·    Assam covers an area of 78,438 km² (30,285 sq mi).

·    According to Area, The Indian State Assam ranked 16th in India.

·    Guwahati is the largest metropolitan area and urban conglomeration in Assam, administered under the highest form of the local urban body-Guwahati Municipal Corporation.

·    The state is bounded to the north by Bhutan and Arunachal Pradesh; to the east by Nagaland and Manipur; to the south by Meghalaya, Tripura, Mizoram and Bangladesh; and to the west by the Siliguri Corridor by West Bengal.

C

2.

Any large and longstanding gap is therefore considered to be the fault segment most likely to suffer future earthquakes.

C

3.

https://indianexpress.com/article/explained/explained-sci-tech/saturn-rings-disappear-2025-9021942/

The planet that has a lower density than water and can float on water is Saturn.

Saturn is the sixth planet from the Sun and the second-largest planet in our solar system. It is known for its beautiful rings, which are made up of ice particles, rocky debris, and dust. Saturn is classified as a gas giant, primarily composed of hydrogen and helium.

Density comparison:
The density of a planet is determined by its mass and volume. Density is defined as mass per unit volume. If the density of a planet is less than that of water, it will float on water.

- The average density of Saturn is about 0.687 grams per cubic centimeter.
- The density of water is about 1 gram per cubic centimeter.
- Therefore, Saturn''s average density is less than that of water, making it less dense.
Composition:
Saturn''s low density can be attributed to its composition and structure.
- Saturn''s atmosphere is primarily composed of hydrogen (about 96%) and helium (about 3%). These gases have low densities compared to solids or liquids.
- The core of Saturn is believed to be composed of heavier elements, such as rock and metal, which contribute to its overall mass. However, this core is relatively small compared to the planet''s total volume.
Gas giant:
Saturn, like Jupiter, is classified as a gas giant. Gas giants are primarily composed of hydrogen and helium, with a relatively small solid core.

- The outer layers of Saturn consist of thick layers of gas, primarily hydrogen, which extends deep into the planet''s interior.
- These gases become denser as we move towards the core, but they are still much less dense than water.
Saturn''s structure:
Saturn''s low density and ability to float on water can be explained by its unique structure.
- Saturn has a relatively low overall mass compared to its enormous volume. This is due to the large amount of gas in its composition.
- The low density of Saturn''s outer layers allows it to be less dense than water, enabling it to float if placed in a large enough body of water.
- However, it is important to note that Saturn is not solid and cannot physically float on water like a solid object. Its gaseous composition allows it to have an overall density lower than water.

C 

4.

• The latitude approximately 23°27′ N of the terrestrial equator is called tropic of cancer.
• There are 17 countries(Including Taiwan) through which the tropic of cancer passes.
• The tropic of cancer is the only latitude pass through India.
• The tropic of cancer passes through 8 Indian states.
• The 8 Indian states through which tropic of cancer passes through are:
• Gujarat.
• Rajasthan.
• Madhya Pradesh.
• Chhatisgarh.
• Jharkhand.
• West Bengal.
• Tripura.
• Mizoram.
• Mahi River is the only river in India that cuts the Tropic of Cancer twice.
• "Bhopal (capital of Madhya Pradesh)" and "Gandhinagar (capital of Gujarat)" is also located fairly close to the "Tropic of Cancer". 
• Tropic of Cancer passes through 17 countries, 3 Continents, 6 water bodies.

A

5.

https://iasgoogle.com/editorial/geography-amp-politics-of-siachen-glacier

The Siachen Glacier is a glacier located in the eastern Karakoram range in the Himalayas, just northeast of the point NJ9842 where the Line of Control between India and Pakistan ends.

The glacier lies between the Saltoro Ridge immediately to the west and the main Karakoram range to the east. The Saltoro Ridge originates in the north from the Sia Kangri peak on the China border in the Karakoram range.

The entire Siachen Glacier, with all major passes, is currently under the administration of India since 1984. Pakistan controls the region west of Saltoro Ridge, far away from the glacier.

The glacier''s melting waters are the main source of the Nubra River in the Indian region of Ladakh, which drains into the Shyok River. The Shyok in turn joins the 3000 kilometre-long Indus River which flows through Pakistan. Thus, the glacier is a major source of the Indus.

At 76 km long, it is the longest glacier in the Karakoram and second-longest in the world''s non-polar areas.

C

6.

·   Gas giants are large planets composed mostly of gases, such as hydrogen and helium, with a relatively small rocky core. The gas giants of our solar system — Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune — together make up a group known as the Jovian planets.

https://iasgoogle.com/editorial/planets-in-solar-system

D

7.

·   The Earth is the densest of all planets in the Solar System.  The predominant element in the composition of the Earth is Iron (36 %) and in the Earth’s crust is oxygen (45 %).  The Sun contains 99 % of the mass of the solar system.  The diameter of the sun is 109 times that of the Earth.

·   The Earth is composed of several elements, with the most abundant elements being oxygen, silicon, aluminum, iron, calcium, sodium, and potassium. However, the predominant element in the Earth''s composition is oxygen, not silicon.

·   The Sun contains about 99.86% of the total mass of the solar system. It is by far the most massive object in our solar system, with a mass approximately 330,000 times that of Earth. The rest of the mass is distributed among the planets, moons, asteroids, comets, and other celestial bodies.

·   out 1.4 million kilometers, while the diameter of the Earth is about 12,742 kilometers.

·   Density is defined as mass per unit volume. The Earth has the highest average density among all the planets in our solar system. Its average density is about 5.52 grams per cubic centimeter. This high density is due to the presence of heavy elements, such as iron and nickel, in its core. The other planets in our solar system have lower average densities compared to Earth. For example, Jupiter, the largest planet, has an average density of only about 1.33 grams per cubic centimeter.

A

8.

https://vikaspedia.in/energy/environment/river-basins-of-india/indus-basin

D

9.

https://www.downtoearth.org.in/news/climate-change/more-than-75-of-amazon-rainforest-near-tipping-point-may-transform-into-dry-savanna-study-81876

An epiphyte is a plant growing on other plants. Epiphytes are known as “air plants” because they are not anchored in the soil. Epiphytes derive nutrients from rainwater, air and from other sources. There are many adaptations present in the epiphytes to get nutrients and survive.

Epiphytes are found on branches, leaves, trunk and other surfaces of plants. Epiphytes anchor themselves to a tree, but do not obtain water or other nutrients directly from it.

Epiphytes mostly grow on other plants for physical support and prepare their own food. They obtain adequate light by living on the tree. They get water from the rainwater dripping down from branches and nutrients, that is washed out of leaves during rainfall. Epiphytes derive nutrients from the dead and decaying plant parts present around the surface. This type of biological interaction is known as commensalism. In Commensalism, one of the species gets benefited and the other species is neither benefited nor harmed. They usually don’t harm their host. But some epiphytes compete with their host for light and nutrients and harm them.

The presence of epiphytic roots is the characteristic feature of Orchids, in which velamen tissue is present.

C

10.

Sir Sidney Burrard divided the entire length of the Himalayas into the following divisions based on the river valleys:
(a) The Punjab Himalayas
(b) The Kumaon Himalayas
(c) The Nepal Himalayas
(d) The Assam Himalayas

(a) The Punjab Himalayas

· It is 560 km long

· It lies between the Indus and the Satluj rivers

· A large portion of this sector lies in Jammu and Kashmir and Himachal Pradesh and hence is called Kashmir and Himachal Himalaya.

· Main Ranges: Karakoram, Ladakh, Pir Panjal, Zanskar and Dhauladhar.

· Zojila pass provides an easy passage here.

(b)The Kumaon Himalayas

· It lies between the Sutlej and the Kali river and is 320 km long.

· Its western part is called the Garhwal Himalaya and the eastern part is called Kumaon Himalaya.

· Important Peaks: Nanda Devi, Kamet, Trishul, Badrinath, Kedarnath and Gangotri.

· The sources of Ganga and Yamuna rivers originate here.

· Important Lakes: Nainital and Bhimtal.

· Many duns are present here.

·
Important glaciers in Kumaon Himalayas are:

(c) The Nepal Himalayas

· It lies between the Kali and the Tista rivers and stretches for a distance of about 800 km (most of it lies in Nepal).

· It is the tallest section of the Himalayas and the peaks are covered by snow. 

· Mount Everest is the tallest peak in the world (8850m)

· Other major peaks: Kanchenjunga, Lhotse I, Makalu, Dhaulagiri, Cho Oyu and Annapurna.

· Famous valley: Kathmandu.

· Important Glaciers:

(d) The Assam Himalayas

· The Himalayan ranges from the Tista to Brahmaputra rivers covering a distance of 750 km are called the Assam Himalayas.

· Elevation: lesser the Nepal Himalayas.

· It spreads over large parts of Sikkim, Assam and Arunachal Pradesh

· Important peaks: Namcha Barwa, Kula Kangri and ChomoLhari.

Syntaxial Bends of The Himalayas

The Himalayas extend in the east-west direction from the Indus Gorge in the west to the Brahmaputra gorge in the east. This east-west trend of the Himalayas is terminated suddenly at its eastern and western extremities after which the ranges take a sharp southward bend. These bends are called the Syntaxial bends.
The bend on western extremity is called the western syntaxial bend (near Nanga Parbat) and that on the eastern extremity is the eastern syntaxial bend (near Namcha Barwa).

Syntaxial bend of the Himalayas

https://www.thehindubusinessline.com/opinion/editorial/low-savings-and-borrowings-for-consumption-are-red-signals/article67462428.ece#:~:text=He%20had%20formulated%20the%20paradox,more%20demand%20and%20production%20declines.

https://www.republicworld.com/economy/macro-indicators/is-india-becoming-a-spender-economy/

A  

11.

When an earthquake occurs, it releases energy waves, known as Seismic waves. It is like the ripples created in water if you throw a stone in it. Seismic waves are like ripples that can travel through the inside of the earth and on the surface.

Types of Earthquake Waves

Based on the medium they travel in, earthquake waves can be classified under two categories:

·        Body waves

·        Surface waves

Body waves are those waves that travel through the earth. They originate at the epicentre of the earthquake and travel through the earth at amazing speeds. There are two types of body waves, namely,

·        P waves

·        S waves

Surface waves are those waves that travel on the surface of the earth. The destruction caused by earthquakes is primarily done by these waves.

S waves and P waves

S waves also called secondary waves and shear waves, are the second waves to hit the seismographs. They are transverse waves, which means that the motion is perpendicular to the direction of wave propagation. S waves can only travel through solids, and scientists have successfully mapped the earth’s interior by studying the routes of these waves.

P waves or Primary waves are the first waves to hit the seismographs when an earthquake strikes. They are longitudinal waves which means that the direction of motion and propagation are the same.

https://education.nationalgeographic.org/resource/mantle/

C

12.

Termites eat wood and produce methane as a result of the breakdown of cellulose in their digestive tracts. They are thought to be responsible for 11% of the methane in the atmosphere (some estimates are as high as 20% - 40%). The clearing of the rain forests greatly impacts termite populations and in turn the methane content of the atmosphere. When a patch of rain forest is cleared, termite populations explode due to the ample food source that is left behind. Water vapor can vary from 4% in the steamy tropics to nearly nonexistent in the cold dry regions of the Antarctic. Water vapor is a good absorber of Earth''s outgoing radiation and thus is considered a greenhouse gas. When water vapor is converted to a liquid during condensation, clouds are formed.

B

13.

Tropical Evergreen Forests

·      The tropical wet evergreen forest in India is usually found in areas receiving more than 200 cm of rainfall and having a temperature of 15-30 degrees Celsius.

·      They occupy about 7% of the earth’s surface.

·      They are found mostly near the equator.

·      They have sparse undergrowth interspersed with clearings

·      They have a scarce presence of litter (organic matter settling on the ground)

·      These forests are dense and multi-layered.

·      They harbor many types of plants and animals.

·      The forests constitute an important part of the environment and ecology.

·      These trees are an important component of the Forest Biology and ecosystem, that helps to promote life in the ecosystem. This allows the plants and animal life to harmonize and live with one another in absolute peace.

·      Grasses are almost absent in Tropical wet-evergreen forest. An evergreen forest is a forest made up of evergreen trees. They occur across a wide range of climatic zones, and include trees such as conifers, live oak, and holly in cold climates, eucalypts, acacias and banksias in more temperate zones, and rainforest trees in tropical zones.

·      Tropical evergreen forests are found in regions with high temperatures and heavy rainfall. It is found on the western slopes of the Western Ghats, the islands of Lakshadweep, Andaman and Nicobar, Northeast India, and some parts of the Tamil Nadu coast.

D

14.

Kandla is a port on the Gulf of Kachch of the Arabian sea. Kandla was constructed in the 1950s as the chief seaport serving western India. Kandla is a tidal port. Kandla Port was renamed as Deendayal Port in 2017 under the Indian Ports Act, of 1908.

Marmagao Port, situated at the entrance of the Zuari estuary, is a natural harbour in Goa. It gained significance after its remodelling in 1961 to handle iron-ore exports to Japan.

The iron ore from Bailladilla is exported to Japan and South Korea. The export happens through the Visakhapatnam Port (Andhra Pradesh). Bailadila-14 mine is the first large-scale open cast mechanized iron ore mine in India. Iron-ore from the Bailadila region is known to be super high grade having over 66 per cent iron content, free from sulfur and other deleterious material, and the best physical properties needed for steel making. Bailadila iron mines are located in the Dantewada district of the state of Chhattisgarh.

Visakhapatnam is an all-weather, landlocked and protected port, meaning it is encircled by land with an opening to the sea. It houses the country’s biggest shipbuilding and ship-repair industry.  Visakhapatnam is an arterial port connecting manufacturing hubs and industrial clusters across the region. It is among the 13 major seaports in India and is the second-largest seaport in Andhra Pradesh, in terms of annual traffic. Visakhapatnam is endowed with natural advantages like the availability of large mineral reserves, a long coastline, and deep-draft ports that enable linkages with major markets in Southeast Asia.

D

15.

Drumlins are oval-shaped hills, largely composed of glacial drift, formed beneath a glacier or ice sheet and aligned in the direction of ice flow.

A 

16.

ü Conduction is the process by which heat energy is transmitted through contact with neighboring molecules. Some solids, such as metals, are good conductors of heat while others, such as wood, are poor conductors. Air and water are relatively poor conductors.

ü Since air is a poor conductor, most energy transfer by conduction occurs right at the earth''s surface. At night, the ground cools and the cold ground conducts heat away from the adjacent air. During the day, solar radiation heats the ground, which heats the air next to it by conduction.

ü Convection transmits heat by transporting groups of molecules from place to place within a substance. Convection occurs in fluids such as water and air, which move freely. In the atmosphere, convection includes large- and small-scale rising and sinking of air masses and smaller air parcels. These vertical motions effectively distribute heat and moisture throughout the atmospheric column and contribute to cloud and storm development (where rising motion occurs) and dissipation (where sinking motion occurs).

Radiation is the transfer of heat energy without the involvement of a physical substance in the transmission. Radiation can transmit heat through a vacuum. Energy travels from the sun to the earth by means of electromagnetic waves. The shorter the wavelength, the higher the energy associated with it. This is demonstrated in the animation below. As the drill''s revolutions per minute (RPMs) increase, the number of waves generated on the string increases, as does the oscillation rate. The same principle applies to electromagnetic waves from the sun, where shorter wavelength radiation has higher energy than longer wavelength radiation.

A

17.

http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-national/largest-volcanic-region-on-earth-lies-in-antartica/article19495111.ece

A

18.

https://rwu.pressbooks.pub/webboceanography/chapter/3-3-determining-the-structure-of-earth/

D

19.

https://www.space.com/comets.html

https://tech.hindustantimes.com/tech/news/wonder-why-earth-has-no-rings-like-jupiter-saturn-we-have-answers-71642069716047.html

A

20.

Carbon dioxide

·  Carbon dioxide is meteorologically a very important gas as it is transparent to the incoming solar radiation but opaque to the outgoing terrestrial radiation.

·  It absorbs a part of terrestrial radiation and reflects back some part of it towards the earth’s surface. It is largely responsible for the greenhouse effect.

·  Its concentration is greater close to the earth’s surface as it is denser than air.

https://www.livescience.com/37743-greenhouse-effect.html

A 

21.

https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/what-does-thermocol-contain-why-is-it-harmful-to-the-environment/articleshow/192851.cms

https://www.pressreader.com/india/the-indian-express/20231028/281792813723882

C    

22.

·     Jupiter has highest axial speed and hence smallest day.

·     https://science.howstuffworks.com/46003-jupiter-explained.htm

D

23.

Continental shelf is that zone of sea floor which lies close to the continental margin. Such zone made of the same material as the adjacent land. They vary in width from few meters to the 1300 km. The coast of Ireland it stretches westward for a distance of 80 km and it is more observed at the coast of Siberia it reaches maximum width of 1300 km and its depth is varying between 5 m to 200 m. The angles of slopes are different and are usually less where the shelf is widest. The slope is always found up to 2°. Continental shelf is shallow part of ocean floor. On it sediments ate continuously deposited and sun’s rays are reaching up to its floor. Due to this condition, the vegetation likes plankton grows naturally. Therefore, such areas are well known for fishing zones of the World. Beside this continental shelf’s are very rich in power resources e.g. natural oil, natural gas and coal.

The continental slope in the Pacific Ocean is steeper than the slope in the Atlantic. In the ocean, the temperature drops and pressure increases with depth. That explains why the water is so cold and the pressure is unusually high at the continental slope.

D

24.

As distance from the equator increases, the duration, amount and reliability of precipitation all decrease.

C

25.

A grassland ecosystem is a dry area of land dominated by grasses. Huge trees and shrubs are very rarely found in these regions, which is mainly because of the climatic conditions and other environmental factors, which do not withstand the plant’s requirements.

Grasslands are also called transitional landscape. In a grassland ecosystem, the vegetation is dominated by herbs and grass. These ecosystems are mainly found in regions, where there is a scarcity of water and not enough and regular rainfall to support the growth of plants and forests. The grassland ecosystem lies between the deserts and the forest ecosystems.

Savanna grasslands and temperate grasslands are some examples of grassland ecosystems. There are many other types of grassland around the world, which go by many names. Grasslands of South America are known as pampas and central Eurasian grasslands are referred to as steppes and so on.

Types of Grasslands

Grasslands are subdivided into two types, namely:

Tropical Grasslands

Tropical grasslands have dry and wet seasons that remain warm all the time. These regions are warm throughout the year, followed by dry and wet seasons. Tropical Grasslands are the ones which receive 50 cm to 130 cm rain.

Also, the tropical grasslands contain quite short plants which makes it an excellent hunting ground. For instance, the African savanna is one of the tropical grasslands.

In conclusion, the tropical grassland is a home for elephants, giraffes, lions, cheetahs, zebras, and other spectacular species.

Tropical Grasslands are:

• East Africa- Savanna
• Brazil- Campos
• Venezuela- Llanos

Temperate Grasslands

These grasslands are similar to tropical grasslands, except for the climatic conditions. They have cold winters and warm summers with 25 cm and 75 cm. of annual rainfall. Shrublands are the best example of temperate grasslands.

Moreover, these grasslands suffer extreme climates. In the cold season, the temperature can reach up Flooded Grasslands to 0 degrees Fahrenheit. While in the summer season it reaches up to 90 degrees in some areas. The precipitation in these grasslands is mostly in the form of dew and snow.

For instance, some vegetation that grows here are, cacti, sagebrush, perennial grasses, buffalo grass clovers, and wild indigos, etc.

Temperate Grasslands are:

• Argentina- Pampas
• America- Prairie
• South Africa- Veld
• Asia- Steppe
• Australia- Down

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C