Statement-I: The soil in tropical rain forests is rich in nutrients. Statement-II: The high temperature and moisture of tropical rain forests cause dead organic matter in the soil to decompose quickly. Which one of the following is correct?

Answer: (d) Statement-I is incorrect but Statement-II is correct

Fast decay is true, but the nutrients are grabbed at once by roots and the rest is leached by heavy rain — so the soil stays poor.

The idea

In a rainforest the nutrients are stored in the living plants, not the soil. Heat and moisture rot leaf litter fast; roots take up the nutrients within days; the rest is washed out by rain.

Fast decay → roots grab nutrients at once → heavy rain leaches the rest → poor soil under a rich forest

Why the others are wrong

(a) Statement I is wrong — rainforest soils are poor.

(c) Accepts I and rejects II — backwards. Fast decay (II) is real, and it is why the soil stays POOR.

The trap

Lush forest makes you assume rich soil. Statement II is true, which pulls you towards (a) — but fast decay is why the soil ends up POOR.