Ecologists study the relationships between flora and fauna (plants and animals), and their environment. What is the proper listing of the levels of ecological organization - from smallest to largest?
[Choice A] population—>ecosystem—->organism—->biosphere—>community—>biome
[Choice B] community—>biosphere—>organism—>population—>biome—>ecosystem
[Choice C] organism—>population—>community—>ecosystem—>biome—>biosphere
[Choice D] biosphere—>ecosystem—>organism—>community—>biome—>population
The correct listing of the levels of ecological organization from smallest to largest is:
[Choice C] organism—>population—>community—>ecosystem—>biome—>biosphere
The proper listing of the levels of ecological organization, from smallest to largest, is:
[Choice C] organism—>population—>community—>ecosystem—>biome—>biosphere
The proper listing of the levels of ecological organization, from smallest to largest, is:
[Choice C] organism—>population—>community—>ecosystem—>biome—>biosphere
To understand why this is the correct order, let's break it down:
- Organism: This level refers to an individual living thing, such as a plant or an animal.
- Population: This level includes all the individuals of the same species in a specific area at a given time.
- Community: This level comprises all the populations of different species that interact and live in the same area at the same time.
- Ecosystem: This level encompasses the interactions between the community of organisms and their abiotic (non-living) environment. It includes both living (biotic) and non-living (abiotic) components.
- Biome: This level represents a large geographical area characterized by a particular climate and specific types of plants and animals. Biomes cover vast regions and can span different continents.
- Biosphere: This is the largest level of ecological organization and includes all the ecosystems on Earth. It encompasses all living organisms and their environments.
By following the order in choice C, we can see how each level builds upon the previous one, providing a logical flow of organization within ecology.