Question

which term is paired correctly with the example that best describes it?
community; the average temperature and rainfall on an isolated island
population; all the wildebeest and giraffes on the african savanna
ecosystem; the nonliving elements and different species in a lake
biosphere; all the spotted toads in a pond

Explanation:

1. Analyze the "community" option: A community is all the different populations (species) in an area. The average temperature and rainfall are abiotic factors (part of an ecosystem's non - living components), not a community. So this pairing is incorrect.
2. Analyze the "population" option: A population is a group of individuals of the same species in an area. Wildebeest and giraffes are different species, so they can't be a single population. This pairing is incorrect.
3. Analyze the "ecosystem" option: An ecosystem includes all the living (biotic - different species) and non - living (abiotic - nonliving elements) components in a particular area. The nonliving elements and different species in a lake fit the definition of an ecosystem. This pairing is correct.
4. Analyze the "biosphere" option: The biosphere is the entire portion of Earth where life exists, including all ecosystems. All the spotted toads in a pond are a population, not the biosphere. This pairing is incorrect.

Answer:

C. ecosystem; the nonliving elements and different species in a lake (assuming the options are labeled A, B, C, D with the third option being C)