Where is most life on Earth?

The oceans are home to a diverse collection of life forms that use it as a habitat. Since sunlight illuminates only the upper layers, the major part of the ocean exists in permanent darkness. As the different depth and temperature zones each provide habitat for a unique set of species, the marine environment as a whole encompasses an immense diversity of life. Marine habitats range from surface water to the deepest oceanic trenches, including coral reefs, kelp forests, seagrass meadows, tidepools, muddy, sandy and rocky seabeds, and the open pelagic zone. The organisms living in the sea range from whales 30 meters (100 ft) long to microscopic phytoplankton and zooplankton, fungi, and bacteria. Marine life plays an important part in the carbon cycle as photosynthetic organisms convert dissolved carbon dioxide into organic carbon and it is economically important to humans for providing fish for use as food.

Life may have originated in the sea and all the major groups of animals are represented there. Scientists differ as to precisely where in the sea life arose: the Miller-Urey experiments suggested a dilute chemical "soup" in open water, but more recent suggestions include volcanic hot springs, fine-grained clay sediments, or deep-sea "black smoker" vents, all of which would have provided protection from damaging ultraviolet radiation which was not blocked by the early Earth's atmosphere.

More Info: en.wikipedia.org

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28 Comments

Special Patrol Group

Poorly worded question for the answer given. The oceans are home to just 1% of life – but home to the majority of animals. Most of life exists on land — 86% of biomass. This is because almost all plant life – mostly trees – is terrestrial.

Stevie G

The question needed to include more information for the answer given as there is animal and plant life.

aerographer

Where is the most life found on Earth? soil A recent study has found that soil is home to 59% of all life on Earth, from an insect feeding on the soil surface to a tiny microbe nestled in a soil pore. This discovery crowns soil as the most biodiverse habitat on the planet.Aug 16, 2023

Alec Boreham

Scientists now estimate that 80 percent of Earth's species live on land, 15 percent in the ocean, and the remaining 5 percent in freshwater.

Joey

Whales are the largest and plankton are the smallest and whales 🐋 eat plankton

dfredlake

RGIPSON, so you pick the next best answer, just like in the 3rd grade!

dfredlake

elizawheeler, can't state it much simpler!

John Cameron

Typical Brian question, wrong answer, badly worded question, at least he is consistent.

elizawheeler

Badly worded question.

Orlando Giménez

Where does most life live? Oceans, land, and deep subsurface: how is life distributed ... land Most of life exists on land — 86% of biomass. This is because almost all plant life – mostly trees – is terrestrial. The authors estimate that marine plants, for example seaweed, make up less than 1 billion tonnes of carbon. This is less than 0.2% of total plant biomass

Vernon Ross

Wrong! 59% in soil! 👎😜😝 Most of life exists on land, 86% biomass. Very poor question!

Angeles Dembowski

The most life on Earth is in the SOII! Therefore Forests and jungles is correct as it is the closest to the proper answer.

RGIPSON

The most life on earth is found in the soil. The correct answer wasn't even a choice. Because of that it is a bad question.

Maxine Elkun

Bad question, wrong answer.

Joseph Shull

It's a poorly worded question. There is more life on land than by sea. There are parts of the oceans that we haven't discovered because of the depths. Google it

Louella Wilson

"An estimated 50-80% of all life on earth is found under the ocean surface and the oceans contain 99% of the living space on the planet." Seems few people want to quote their 'source', but here is a quote that can be easily checked.