Given below are two statements, one marked as Assertion (A) and the other as Reason (R). Read the statements and choose the correct option.
Assertion (A): Tropical deciduous trees shed their leaves in the dry season.
Reason (R): Trees adapt according to climatic conditions and shed their leaves to conserve water in dry season.

Correct option is D

Correct Answer: (D) Both (A) and (R) are true and (R) is the correct explanation of (A).
Explanation:
Assertion is Correct:
→ Tropical deciduous forests experience marked seasonal variations in rainfall.
→ During the hot, dry season, the trees in these forests shed their leaves for about six to eight weeks.
Reason is Correct:
→ This shedding is an evolutionary adaptation to minimize water loss through the process of transpiration.
→ When soil moisture is low, discarding leaves helps the tree conserve its limited water reserves.
Link between Assertion and Reason:
→ The reason why tropical deciduous trees shed their leaves in the dry season (Assertion) is precisely because it is an adaptation to conserve water (Reason).
→ Thus, (R) is the correct explanation of (A).
Information Booster:
→ Tropical deciduous forests are the most widespread forests in India, also widely known as monsoon forests.
→ These forests are subdivided into Moist Deciduous (receiving 100-200 cm rainfall) and Dry Deciduous (receiving 70-100 cm rainfall).
→ Common commercially valuable species found in these forests include Teak, Sal, Shisham, and Sandalwood.
→ Deciduous trees contrast with evergreen trees, which do not have a uniform season for shedding their leaves.