Which of the following is an example of anthropogenic biome?

The correct answer is D) Cropland. A biome is a large natural region defined by its climate, vegetation and animal life. An anthropogenic biome, or anthrome, is a classification in which human land use and population density are the main factors shaping the landscape. Ellis and Ramankutty (2008) popularised this approach, and it sits alongside the natural biomes.

• Fresh water (A) is an aquatic ecosystem, not a biome type. It is shaped mainly by water chemistry and flow, not by human land use.
• Grassland (B) is a natural terrestrial biome, such as the prairies or savannas, defined by climate and vegetation.
• Rain forest (C) is a natural terrestrial biome, such as the tropical rainforest, defined by high rainfall and biodiversity.

Cropland is the clearest anthrome because it is land transformed for agriculture and sustained by human management. For Mains, this links to land-use change, deforestation and food security in the Environment and Geography syllabus.

Trap: Aspirants often pick grassland because it looks like managed land. Grassland is a natural biome, while cropland is the anthropogenic one.