What is defined as all the species inhabiting a specific area?

The term that describes all the species inhabiting a specific area is "community." In ecology, a community comprises various populations of different species living in a particular habitat and interacting with one another. This concept encompasses not just the plants and animals present, but also fungi, microorganisms, and other organisms within that defined area. Communities can vary significantly in size and complexity, ranging from a small pond with a few fish, plants, and invertebrates to a large forest with countless species of flora and fauna.

The other options refer to distinct ecological concepts: a habitat is the physical environment where organisms live, a biome is a large ecological area characterized by specific climate conditions, flora, and fauna (such as a desert or rainforest), and a population denotes a group of individuals of the same species living in the same area. Understanding these terms is crucial for studying ecosystems and their interactions.