▁historic ▁gen etic ▁tra its ▁and ▁that ▁they ▁provide ▁habitat ▁for ▁wild ▁fl ora ▁and ▁fa una ▁that ▁may ▁be ▁difficult ▁or ▁impossible ▁to ▁re create ▁in ▁zo os , ▁ar bor et ums , ▁or ▁labor ator ies . ▁ ▁Life ▁ ▁Although ▁there ▁is ▁no ▁universal ▁agreement ▁on ▁the ▁definition ▁of ▁life , ▁scient ists ▁generally ▁accept ▁that ▁the ▁bi ological ▁manifest ation ▁of ▁life ▁is ▁character ized ▁by ▁organization , ▁met abol ism , ▁growth , ▁adaptation , ▁response ▁to ▁stim uli , ▁and ▁reprodu ction . ▁Life ▁may ▁also ▁be ▁said ▁to ▁be ▁simply ▁the ▁characteristic ▁state ▁of ▁organ isms . ▁ ▁Properties ▁common ▁to ▁terrest rial ▁organ isms ▁( pl ants , ▁animals , ▁fung i , ▁prot ists , ▁arch ae a , ▁and ▁b acter ia ) ▁are ▁that ▁they ▁are ▁cell ular , ▁carbon - and - water - based ▁with ▁complex ▁organization , ▁having ▁a ▁met abol ism , ▁a ▁capacity ▁to ▁grow , ▁respond ▁to ▁stim uli , ▁and ▁reproduce . ▁An ▁entity ▁with ▁these ▁properties ▁is ▁generally ▁considered ▁life . ▁However , ▁not ▁every ▁definition ▁of ▁life ▁cons iders ▁all ▁of ▁these ▁properties ▁to ▁be ▁essential . ▁Human - made ▁anal ogs ▁of ▁life ▁may ▁also ▁be ▁considered ▁to ▁be ▁life . ▁ ▁The ▁b ios phere ▁is ▁the ▁part ▁of ▁Earth ' s ▁outer ▁shell — including ▁land , ▁surface ▁rocks , ▁water , ▁air ▁and ▁the ▁atmosphere — with in ▁which ▁life ▁occurs , ▁and ▁which ▁bi otic ▁processes ▁in