Which of the following is a characteristic of a discontinuous ecumene?

A discontinuous ecumene refers to regions where human habitation and population are not spread uniformly across the landscape. Instead, these populated areas are interspersed with large areas of uninhabited land. This can occur due to various factors, such as geography, climate, and availability of resources.

When looking at characteristic B, "Areas with no continuous population," it accurately captures the essence of a discontinuous ecumene because it emphasizes the lack of a smoothed, uniform distribution of people. Instead, population clusters can be found in certain places, while vast expanses remain sparsely populated or uninhabited.

The other characteristics do not align with what defines a discontinuous ecumene. Permanent settlements suggest a more consistent population distribution, urban centers imply a significant concentration of people in specific locations rather than a scattered population, and farmland can exist in both continuous and discontinuous ecumene, but it alone does not signify a discontinuous nature. Thus, option B effectively highlights the essential distinction of a discontinuous ecumene.