What is the major characteristic that defines a biome?

The major characteristic that defines a biome is the climate and geography of the area. Biomes are large ecological areas on the Earth’s surface, with specific climates, plants, and animals adapting to those conditions. The climate, which includes temperature and precipitation patterns, significantly influences the types of vegetation that can thrive in a biome, which in turn affects the organisms that inhabit that area. Each biome, such as deserts, forests, tundras, or grasslands, is characterized not only by its average weather conditions but also by its geographic features. These include factors like elevation, latitude, and proximity to bodies of water, which all help to shape the environmental conditions suitable for certain communities of plants and animals.

The specific species found within a biome can vary even within similar climatic conditions, and while population size and interactions among organisms are important ecological aspects, they do not define the biome itself. Instead, the description of a biome fundamentally revolves around its climate and the geographic context in which it exists.