(Blank) refers to all living and nonliving things that occur naturally

The term you are looking for is "environment."

The term you are looking for is "environment." The environment encompasses all living (biotic) and nonliving (abiotic) components that exist naturally on Earth. It includes elements such as air, water, soil, plants, animals, and the interrelationships among them. Understanding and preserving the environment is crucial for maintaining the balance and sustainability of our planet.

The term you are referring to is called "nature." Nature encompasses all living and nonliving things that occur naturally. To understand this concept further, we can break it down into two parts: living things and nonliving things.

1. Living things: Living organisms, such as plants, animals, fungi, and microorganisms, are considered living things. These organisms exhibit characteristics of life, such as growth, reproduction, metabolism, and response to stimuli.

2. Nonliving things: Nonliving things include elements of the natural world that are not alive, such as rocks, soil, air, water, mountains, and weather phenomena like rain, wind, and lightning. These elements are essential components of the Earth's physical environment.

To determine if something falls under the category of nature, you can consider if it occurs naturally without human intervention. If it is part of the Earth's natural ecosystem or has not been significantly altered by human activities, then it can be considered as part of nature.