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Multiple Choice
In population demography, what term describes the number of individuals per unit area or volume?
A
Population growth rate
B
Carrying capacity
C
Population size
D
Population density
Verified step by step guidance
1
Understand the concept of population density: Population density refers to the number of individuals of a species per unit area (for terrestrial organisms) or per unit volume (for aquatic organisms). It is a measure of how crowded a population is within a given space.
Differentiate population density from other terms: Population size refers to the total number of individuals in a population, while carrying capacity is the maximum population size that an environment can sustain indefinitely. Population growth rate measures how quickly a population increases or decreases over time.
Recognize the importance of population density: It helps ecologists understand the distribution of organisms and their interactions with the environment, such as competition for resources, predation, and disease spread.
Apply the term to real-world examples: For instance, if there are 100 deer in a forest area of 10 square kilometers, the population density would be 10 deer per square kilometer.
Relate population density to ecological studies: Population density is a key metric in studying ecosystems, as it influences resource availability, habitat use, and species interactions.