Final answer:
The dry and arid ecosystem is characterized by the Mexican Desert due to its low precipitation and high temperature conditions. This ecosystem has unique flora and fauna adapted to the arid climate. Deserts generally experience extreme temperature variations between day and night.
Step-by-step explanation:
The student is asking about terrestrial ecosystems and how they can be characterized. To answer which of the listed ecosystems is characterized by its dry and arid conditions, we need to understand the fundamental properties of each ecosystem mentioned. The correct answer to the student's question is D) Mexican Desert.
Deserts, such as the Mexican Desert, are terrestrial ecosystems that are notably dry and arid due to the low precipitation they receive. These ecosystems have a unique set of plant and animal life adapted to these conditions, such as cacti and hardy shrubs. Deserts experience high temperatures during the day and can have drastic temperature drops at night.
Regarding the additional reference, it states that Arctic tundra is the biome with short growing seasons. This is because tundras have cold climates with long winters and short, cool summers, allowing only a limited growing period for vegetation. By contrast, boreal forests are dominated by coniferous trees rather than deciduous trees, so option C in the statements about biomes is false.