Final answer:
A major biological community over a large area is known as a biome, characterized by its climate and dominant vegetation. An ecosystem consists of all living things and the abiotic parts of the environment within a biome. The sum of all ecosystems makes up the biosphere, including all life zones on Earth.
Step-by-step explanation:
A major biological community occurring over a large area can be referred to as a biome. This community encompasses populations of various species living and interacting in a particular region. The biome is characterized by similar climatic conditions and dominant plant types that define its vegetation and overall structure. The types of biomes, such as boreal forests and deserts for terrestrial ecosystems, or littoral and benthic zones for aquatic ecosystems, are influenced by the physical environment and can be found across different geographical regions of the planet.
Within these biomes, we find ecosystems, which are a combination of all living things (biotic factors) within a given area and the abiotic, or non-living, parts of that environment. These include factors like water, minerals, and sunlight. Finally, the sum of all the ecosystems on Earth forms the biosphere, the total collection of zones of life on our planet, which encompasses land, water, and parts of the atmosphere.