Question

A pond or a lake is
(a) A biome
(b) A natural ecosystem
(c) An artificial ecosystem
(d) A community of plants and animals only

Answer 1

Hint: The level of organization above the biological community. It is called the functional unit of the biosphere where members of communities interact with each other and the surrounding environment.

Complete answer:
The level of organization above the biological community is the ecosystem. It is the functional unit of the biosphere. The members of the ecosystem interact among themselves and also with the surrounding environment. A well-defined trophic structure that involves the flow of energy is formed. An ecosystem may be as small as an aquarium or any tiny puddle. A pond or a lake comes under the natural ecosystem. Ecosystems sometimes may overlap, as the boundaries of an ecosystem are flexible.

Additional Information: - Ecology is basically concerned with four levels of organization namely organisms, populations, communities, and biomes.
- Arrangement of graded series is called hierarchy. The ecological organization consists of eleven integrative levels ranging from cell to ecosphere.
- A group of organisms of the same species living in a specific area at a specific time is called a population.
- An association of interacting members of populations of different autotrophic and heterotrophic species in a particular time is called a community
- A large community of plants and animals that occupies a vast region is called a biome. They are of two types: terrestrial and aquatic biomes.
So, the correct answer is ‘A natural ecosystem’

Note: -The ecosphere constitutes all the habitable zones on the earth. It is also called the biosphere. It extends several kilometers above the earth’s surface into the atmosphere and several kilometers below the ocean’s surface.
-The biosphere comprises all of the earth’s biomes.