Question

Deserts can be converted into green lands by
a. Tropical trees
b. Oxylophytes
c. Halophytes
d. Psammophytes

Answer 1

Hint: Psammophytes are plants that grow in shifting sands, primarily in deserts. These are marked by a number of adaptations that enable them to exist on wind-blown sands.

Complete answer:
Psammophytes plants can be easily grown on sand and gravel. They have the capacity to survive in arid and semi arid climates and sand filled environments over there. The trees and shrubs grow there, form strong adventitious roots on those parts of their trunks buried in the sand. Psammophytes are hit upon not only in deserts but also along seas and large lakes and in sands along rivers. Psammophytes are often used to stabilize sandy soils. These plants can convert desert areas into green land by gradual ecological succession.
Among the given options:
Tropical trees are specially adapted to grow in the tropics especially in hot and wet climates. They grow very quickly and are very tall.
Oxylophytes are plants growing on acidic soil.
Halophytes are salt-tolerant plants that grow soil or waters with high salinity, such as in mangrove swamps, marshes, seashores and saline semi-deserts.

So, the correct answer is option D.

Note: Desert greening is the man-made process of reclamation of deserts. A number of methods are used to revitalize deserts which include landscaping methods to reduce evaporation, erosion, consolidation of topsoil, temperature, planting trees, regeneration of salty, polluted, or degenerated soils, greenhouse agriculture and training of local residents to care for water systems.