First plants to appear on a badly burnt forest area will be

Options

A. mosses
B. ferns
C. liverworts
D. grasses

Answer

**Step-by-Step Solution:**

1. **Understanding the Context**: The question asks about the first plants to appear in a badly burnt forest area. This situation is a part of ecological succession, specifically secondary succession, where the ecosystem begins to recover after a disturbance.

2. **Defining Secondary Succession**: Secondary succession occurs in areas where a disturbance has destroyed an existing ecosystem but left the soil intact. This is different from primary succession, which starts from bare rock or soil that has never supported life.

3. **Identifying Initial Plant Species**: In a burnt forest area, the initial plant species that appear are typically those that can tolerate harsh conditions and require minimal resources for growth.

4. **Evaluating the Options**:
- **Mosses**: These are often among the first colonizers in primary succession but may not be the first in a burnt area.
- **Ferns**: These plants can thrive in disturbed soils and can grow quickly after a fire due to their ability to tolerate dry conditions and low nutrient availability.
- **Liverworts**: Similar to mosses, they are more common in moist environments and may not be the first to appear in a burnt area.
- **Grasses**: While they can grow in disturbed areas, they usually follow the initial colonizers like ferns.

5. **Conclusion**: Based on the characteristics of the plants and their ability to thrive in burnt conditions, ferns are the first plants to appear in a badly burnt forest area.

**Final Answer**: The first plants to appear on a badly burnt forest area will be ferns.

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