Question

biodiversity can be defined as:
a all organisms in a given area including physical environment such as soil, water and air.
b an organism’s environment, including all other individuals in its surroundings, all of which have the potential to interact with one another.
c the total number of different species living in a community
d variability among living organisms from all sources, including terrestrial, marine, and other aquatic ecosystems

Explanation:

To determine the correct definition of biodiversity:

• Option A describes an ecosystem (organisms + physical environment), not biodiversity.
• Option B refers to an organism’s environment and interactions, which is about ecological interactions, not biodiversity.
• Option C defines species richness (number of species in a community), but biodiversity includes more than just species count (e.g., genetic, ecosystem diversity).
• Option D matches the standard definition of biodiversity: the variety of life (variability among organisms) from all ecosystems (terrestrial, marine, aquatic).

Answer:

D. Variability among living organisms from all sources, including terrestrial, marine, and other aquatic ecosystems