The vegetation of Savannah consists of grassland with scattered small trees, but extensive areas have no trees. The forest development in such areas is generally kept in check by one or more or a combination of some conditions. Which of the following are such conditions? ​ 1. Burrowing animals and termites ​ 2. Fire ​ 3. Grazing herbivores ​ 4. Seasonal rainfall ​ 5. Soil properties ​ Select the correct answer using the code given below. ​

The correct answer is C, that is 2, 3 and 4. Savanna is a tropical grassland where trees are present but never form a closed canopy. A few recurring pressures repeatedly kill tree seedlings before they mature.

• Fire (2): Frequent grass fires, mostly in the dry season, scorch seedlings and saplings. Grasses regrow from underground parts, while young trees usually do not survive.
• Grazing herbivores (3): Large herbivores eat tender shoots and seedlings, which keeps woody growth suppressed.
• Seasonal rainfall (4): A long dry season creates water stress that tree seedlings cannot survive, while grasses go dormant and recover.

Statements 1 and 5 are weaker as the main checks. Burrowing animals and termites affect soils and seedlings locally, and soil properties matter in some places, but they are not the general controls the question is looking for. Option A omits the herbivore and rainfall controls, and options B and D each drop one of the main factors.

The core concept is tree-grass coexistence and the role of disturbance. For Mains GS-I (world geography, climate and vegetation), this links to savanna distribution in Africa, South America and northern Australia, and to debates on whether fire and grazing management can convert savanna into forest.

Trap: Students pick D because termites and soil properties sound like strong ecological controls. The question asks for the general pressures, which are fire, grazing and seasonal rainfall.