The proper order, from smallest to largest, for the levels of organization is _. a. population, community, organism, biome, ecosystem, biosphere b. organism, community, population, ecosystem, biome, biosphere c. biosphere, biome, ecosystem, community, population, organism d. organism, population, community, ecosystem, biome, biosphere please select the best answer from the choices provided a b c d mark this and return
The Correct Answer and Explanation is :
The correct answer is d. organism, population, community, ecosystem, biome, biosphere.
Explanation:
The levels of biological organization represent the hierarchy of life, from the smallest unit (the individual organism) to the largest (the entire biosphere). Here’s a breakdown of each level:
- Organism: This is the most basic unit of life, an individual living entity capable of carrying out all the processes necessary for life (e.g., growth, reproduction, metabolism). Examples include a single human, animal, or plant.
- Population: A population consists of individuals of the same species that live in the same area at the same time and can interbreed. For instance, a population could refer to all the squirrels in a park.
- Community: A community is made up of all the populations of different species that live and interact in the same area. It includes the interactions between different populations, such as predation, competition, and symbiosis. An example would be the variety of species in a forest, including trees, animals, fungi, etc.
- Ecosystem: An ecosystem includes the community of organisms and their physical environment (abiotic factors like air, water, soil) functioning together. For example, a forest ecosystem involves the interactions between the living organisms and their physical surroundings.
- Biome: A biome is a large geographical biotic unit characterized by specific climate conditions and the types of plants and animals that live there. Examples include deserts, rainforests, and tundras.
- Biosphere: The biosphere is the largest level, encompassing all living organisms on Earth, along with the environments in which they live. It includes all the ecosystems and biomes on the planet.
Thus, the correct order of levels from smallest to largest is: organism → population → community → ecosystem → biome → biosphere.
This hierarchy helps in understanding the complex interactions within ecosystems and how life is organized across different scales.