Question

Assertion (A): Forests contribute to terrestrial evaporation and reduce soil moisture via transpiration.

Reason (R): Transpiration is the process of water movement through a plant and its evaporation from aerial parts.

Options

• Both A and R are true and R is the correct explanation of A.

• Both A and R are true but R is not the correct explanation of A.

• A is true but R is false.

• A is false but R is true.

Answer 1

Both A and R are true and R is the correct explanation of A.

Explanation:

The assertion is true because forest canopies release massive volumes of water vapour into the atmosphere, contributing significantly to terrestrial evaporation while simultaneously absorbing and drawing up moisture from the ground, which temporarily reduces local soil moisture. The reason is also true and serves as the correct explanation because it defines transpiration as the exact biological process responsible for this phenomenon. Because water moves continuously up through the trees and evaporates from their leaves into the air, it establishes the mechanism that drives both atmospheric evaporation and soil water depletion.