What is the term for the total mass of living matter in a given area or ecosystem?

• A. Carbon Cycle
• B. Disphotic Zone
• C. Biomass
• D. Chemosynthesis

Answer: (C)

Biomass is the total mass of living matter in a given area or ecosystem. It represents the standing stock of organisms, often measured as dry mass per unit area (e.g., g/m^2) or as total wet mass. This concept helps ecologists compare how much living material exists in different habitats and to gauge the energy available to fuel trophic levels. For example, a forest typically has a high biomass because of large trees, while a nutrient-poor ocean area has lower biomass. This term is distinct from the carbon cycle (movement of carbon through reservoirs), the disphotic zone (a dimly lit ocean layer), and chemosynthesis (a process some organisms use to make organic matter from chemical energy).