Which term best describes groups of ecosystems that share similar climates and organisms across geographic regions?

• A. Ecosystems
• B. Environments
• C. Biomes
• D. Habitats

Answer: (C)

Biomes are large regions of the Earth where ecosystems share similar climate and dominant life forms. The climate—patterns of temperature and rainfall—determines which plants can thrive, and those plants shape the types of animals that live there. Because similar climates occur in different parts of the world, you can find the same biome type in distant regions, like tropical rainforests or deserts. Within a biome, there are many specific ecosystems, each with its own local conditions, but they all reflect the same broad climate and life patterns. An ecosystem is a particular community and its environment in one place, a habitat is the specific place within an ecosystem where an organism lives, and an environment refers to the surrounding conditions in general.