What does the term biodiversity refer to?

The term biodiversity encompasses the variety of life in a particular habitat or ecosystem, which includes the range of different species, their genetic variations, and the ecosystems they form. It reflects the complex and interdependent relationships within ecological systems, highlighting how different organisms coexist and interact in an environment. A rich biodiversity contributes to ecosystem resilience, stability, and health, making it a crucial aspect of environmental science.

The other choices focus on narrower aspects of life forms. While the total number of species in a population pertains to population dynamics, genetic variation within a species is a component of biodiversity but does not capture its full scope. The population density of organisms in a habitat is an ecological measurement but does not reflect the variety of life forms present, making it unrelated to the broader concept of biodiversity.