Which term refers to large geographical biotic communities characterized by specific climates and species?

The term that refers to large geographical biotic communities characterized by specific climates and species is biomes. Biomes are large regions of the Earth that have similar climate, plants, and animals, and they can include a variety of environments such as forests, deserts, grasslands, and tundras. Each biome is defined by its particular climate characteristics, including temperature and precipitation, which in turn influence the types of organisms that can thrive there.

Understanding biomes is crucial because they represent the highest level of ecological organization outside of the global scale. They help scientists categorize and study large areas of life on Earth, enabling a comparison of biodiversity across different regions. For instance, the desert biome is characterized by specific flora and fauna that have adapted to dry conditions, while the temperate forest biome supports a different set of species adapted to its unique climate.

In contrast, ecology is the study of interactions between organisms and their environment, habitats refer to the natural home or environment of an organism, and ecosystems encompass the biotic community and its abiotic environment functioning together. Each of these terms represents different levels of biological organization and ecological study, but biomes specifically denote large geographical areas defined by climate and biological communities.