question_answer 30)

  Which of the following type of ecosystem is expected in an area where evaporation exceeds precipitation, and mean annual rainfall is below100mm (a) Grassland                       (b) Shrubby forest         (c) Desert                           (d) Mangrove

Answer:

                  (c) In true desert biome rainfall is less than 100mm/year, characterized by extremely hotdays and cold nights. Evaporation from true desert always exceeds 7-50 times the precipitation (rainfall). Desert ecosystem of biomes are more in Northerm hemisphere than Southern hemisphere. Whereas Grassland ecosystem receives medium rain fall ranging from 25-75 cm/yr, but evaporation rate is not higher than precipitation rate. Shrubby forest receives rainfall 90 - 150 cm/yr. Mangrove forests receive annual rainfall ranging from 100-150 cm/yr. Thus, there options are wrong.