Which statement best defines a population in ecology?

Which statement best defines a population in ecology?

• A. A population is the same species living in one area.
• B. A population is all living organisms in a habitat.
• C. A population is a single organism in an environment.
• D. A population is the nonliving environment components.

Answer: (A)

A population is a group of individuals of the same species that occupy and interact within a defined area at a given time (and are typically capable of interbreeding). This focus on the same species in a specific location is what distinguishes a population from a community, which includes many species in a habitat, or from a single organism, or from nonliving environmental factors. For example, a stand of oak trees in a particular valley represents a population of oaks, not all living things in the valley or just one tree. This concept lets ecologists study how that group grows, moves, and evolves within its defined space.

A population is a group of individuals of the same species that occupy and interact within a defined area at a given time (and are typically capable of interbreeding). This focus on the same species in a specific location is what distinguishes a population from a community, which includes many species in a habitat, or from a single organism, or from nonliving environmental factors. For example, a stand of oak trees in a particular valley represents a population of oaks, not all living things in the valley or just one tree. This concept lets ecologists study how that group grows, moves, and evolves within its defined space.