Which term refers to a group of organisms of the same species occupying a defined area?

Which term refers to a group of organisms of the same species occupying a defined area?

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

Answer: (B)

A population is a group of individuals of the same species occupying a defined area. This definition matches the idea of collecting members that share the same species and live within a specific geographic space, like a population of brook trout in a particular stream reach or a stand of maple trees in a park. A community, by contrast, includes all species living in that area, not just one. An ecosystem adds the physical environment and energy flows to that living assemblage. A species is the taxonomic unit that defines what kind of organism it is, not the size or number of individuals in a place. So the term that fits the description is population.

A population is a group of individuals of the same species occupying a defined area. This definition matches the idea of collecting members that share the same species and live within a specific geographic space, like a population of brook trout in a particular stream reach or a stand of maple trees in a park. A community, by contrast, includes all species living in that area, not just one. An ecosystem adds the physical environment and energy flows to that living assemblage. A species is the taxonomic unit that defines what kind of organism it is, not the size or number of individuals in a place. So the term that fits the description is population.