Final answer:
The biological levels of organization arrange elements from the simplest, such as atoms, to the most complex, like the biosphere. For provided items, this hierarchy ranges from oxygen and hydrogen atoms, up through to the level of planet Earth which includes ecosystems and is part of the biosphere.
Step-by-step explanation:
Levels of Organization in Biological Systems
In biological systems, levels of organization refer to a hierarchy where simple components form more complex structures. The levels from simple to complex are: atom, molecule, organelle, cell, tissue, organ, organ system, organism, population, community, ecosystem, biome, and biosphere. Relating this to the items provided, we can create a hierarchy:
- Oxygen atom and hydrogen atom (smallest level of organization)
- Water molecule (formed from atoms)
- Skin cell (made from molecules and organelles)
- Liver (an organ made of tissues, which are made from cells)
- Elephant (an organism composed of organ systems)
- Wolf pack (a population of organisms)
- Tropical rainforest (a community of populations)
- Planet Earth (encompasses multiple ecosystems and is a part of the biosphere)
The justification for the placement of these elements within the biological hierarchy is based on the increasing complexity and the inclusion relationship between the levels: atoms make up molecules; molecules and organelles make up cells; cells make up tissues; tissues make up organs; organs make up systems; systems make up organisms; organisms form populations; populations together form communities; communities interact within ecosystems; and the biosphere is the global ecological system integrating all living beings and their relationships.