Which term describes all individuals of the same species living in a defined area?

Which term describes all individuals of the same species living in a defined area?

• A. Species
• B. Ecosystem
• C. Community
• D. Population

Answer: (D)

This term captures all individuals of the same species living in a defined area. A population is the local group of individuals that belong to one species and occupy a particular place, so researchers can study how many there are, how crowded it is (density), how it changes over time, and its age or genetic structure. This is different from a species as a whole, which is the broad biological category for organisms that can interbreed. It’s also different from a community, which includes all populations of different species that live together and interact in the same area. And an ecosystem adds the physical environment and the interactions between living organisms and nonliving factors like water, soil, and climate. For example, the zebras living in a specific savanna are a population; all the animal and plant species in that savanna form the community; and the entire savanna, with its climate and soil, is the ecosystem.

This term captures all individuals of the same species living in a defined area. A population is the local group of individuals that belong to one species and occupy a particular place, so researchers can study how many there are, how crowded it is (density), how it changes over time, and its age or genetic structure. This is different from a species as a whole, which is the broad biological category for organisms that can interbreed. It’s also different from a community, which includes all populations of different species that live together and interact in the same area. And an ecosystem adds the physical environment and the interactions between living organisms and nonliving factors like water, soil, and climate. For example, the zebras living in a specific savanna are a population; all the animal and plant species in that savanna form the community; and the entire savanna, with its climate and soil, is the ecosystem.