In Tundra climate regions, biodiversity is comparatively low mainly because the reproductive warm season is very short. Evaluate the relationship between these two statements.

Introduction / Context:
The Tundra climate is found in very high latitude regions near the Arctic and, in limited areas, near the Antarctic. It is characterised by long, extremely cold winters and very short, cool summers. Questions on this biome often focus on why biodiversity is low and how climate controls plant and animal life. This question presents two related statements and asks you to judge both their correctness and whether the second logically explains the first, a common reasoning pattern in competitive exams.

Given Data / Assumptions:
- Statement I: In Tundra climate, biodiversity is comparatively less. - Statement II: Tundra climate has a shorter reproductive warm period. - We must assess the truth of each statement independently. - We must also decide if the short warm period is the main reason for low biodiversity. - We assume standard climatological definitions of the Tundra biome.

Concept / Approach:
In ecology and climatology, biodiversity depends heavily on the length and favourability of the growing season. In Tundra regions, temperatures remain below freezing for most of the year, soils may be frozen as permafrost and liquid water is scarce in winter. Only during a brief summer do temperatures rise enough for plants to grow, reproduce and complete their life cycles. This short warm period drastically limits the number of species that can adapt and thrive, resulting in comparatively low biodiversity. Thus, we expect both statements to be true and the second to be a correct explanation of the first.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Consider Statement I. It is well established that Tundra supports fewer plant and animal species than tropical or temperate biomes, so biodiversity is indeed comparatively low. Statement I is true. Step 2: Consider Statement II. The Tundra climate is characterised by a very short summer season when temperatures are above freezing and plant growth is possible. The reproductive warm period is therefore short. Statement II is also true. Step 3: Analyse causation. Because the warm season is very brief, only specially adapted species can complete their life cycles within that window. This directly leads to fewer species overall. Step 4: Therefore, the short reproductive warm period is a primary reason why biodiversity is low in Tundra regions. Step 5: Both statements are true and Statement II correctly explains Statement I.

Verification / Alternative check:
Textbooks on biogeography and ecology describe how tropical rainforests, with year round warmth and moisture, support maximum biodiversity, while polar and Tundra regions, with very cold conditions and short growing seasons, support minimal biodiversity. In Tundra, only hardy grasses, mosses, lichens and a limited range of animals can survive. This pattern reinforces that the climatic shortness of the growing season is a controlling factor. Therefore, the explanatory relationship between the two statements is logical and widely accepted.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
Saying both statements are true but not explanatory is wrong because the short warm period directly causes low biodiversity, so there is a clear cause and effect link.

Claiming Statement I is true but Statement II is false is incorrect because climatological data clearly show a very short warm season in Tundra regions.

Asserting that Statement I is false but Statement II is true is also wrong because biodiversity in Tundra is undeniably low when compared with most other biomes.

Common Pitfalls:
Some students focus only on low temperatures and ignore the importance of duration of the favourable season. Others may think that low biodiversity is due only to poor soils or lack of light, overlooking the combined effect of extreme cold and the short period of warmth. Remember that in high latitude regions there is actually abundant summer light, but the season is too short for many species to adapt. Keeping this nuance in mind helps you understand why the explanation in Statement II is appropriate.

Final Answer:
Both statements are individually true, and the second statement correctly explains the first, so the correct choice is Both statements are individually true and the second statement correctly explains the first.