What is biodiversity?

Biodiversity refers to the variety of life forms in a given ecosystem, habitat, or on the planet as a whole. This concept encompasses the different species of plants, animals, fungi, and microorganisms, as well as the genetic diversity within those species and the ecological complexes they are part of. Biodiversity is essential for ecosystem health and resilience, as it contributes to everything from food security to climate stability.

The other options focus on different aspects of biology and ecology. Genetic modification pertains specifically to the alteration of an organism's DNA and does not capture the broader concept of biodiversity. Describing biodiversity as an ecological term related to the food chain misrepresents the diversity aspect by narrowing it down to interactions among species rather than the variety of life itself. Finally, the study of organisms in a laboratory context does not inherently involve biodiversity; it is mainly focused on observation and experimentation rather than the natural variety of life in ecosystems.