What is a biome?

• A. A single ecosystem with diverse climates
• B. A group of ecosystems with similar climates and organisms
• C. The study of relationships among organisms
• D. A collection of species in a laboratory

Answer: (B)

Biomes are large geographic regions defined by climate and the organisms that are adapted to that climate. Because climate shapes which plants and animals can thrive, a biome includes multiple ecosystems that share similar climates and the communities that form within them. That’s why the best description is a group of ecosystems with similar climates and organisms. For example, tropical rainforests, deserts, tundras, and grasslands are all biomes, each characterized by distinct climate patterns and the typical life forms you’d expect there. The other options describe concepts that aren’t what a biome is: a single ecosystem with diverse climates isn’t right because a biome spans multiple ecosystems; the study of relationships among organisms is ecology, not a biome; and a collection of species in a laboratory refers to a lab setting, not a natural biome.