Tourism Management Certificate (TMC) Practice Exam

What is defined as a geographic area that includes all living organisms and their physical surroundings?

1. A biome

2. An environment

3. An ecosystem

4. A habitat

The correct answer is: An ecosystem

The correct answer is an ecosystem, as it encompasses the interaction of all living organisms within a specific geographic area along with their physical surroundings, such as soil, water, and climate. An ecosystem includes not just the organisms, but also the relationships between them and how they interact with their environment, making it a complex system of interconnected biological and abiotic components. While a biome refers to larger areas defined by climatic conditions and types of vegetation, it does not capture the intricate interactions that take place at the level of an ecosystem. An environment is a broader term that refers to the surrounding conditions in which an organism exists, but it lacks the specificity of the biotic and abiotic interactions found in an ecosystem. A habitat, on the other hand, refers specifically to the natural home or environment of an organism, which is a part of an ecosystem but does not span the entire system of interactions between organisms and their surroundings. Thus, the holistic view of both living and non-living components characterize an ecosystem effectively.