In population ecology, how is population density typically calculated?

• A. Total biomass of the population divided by the number of individuals
• B. Number of births per unit time minus number of deaths per unit time
• C. Number of individuals per unit area (or per unit volume)
• D. Number of individuals multiplied by the carrying capacity of the habitat

Answer: (C)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Understand that population density is a measure of how many individuals of a species are found in a specific area or volume of habitat.
2. Recall that population density is not about biomass or birth/death rates, but rather a count of individuals relative to space.
3. Identify the formula for population density as the number of individuals divided by the area (for terrestrial organisms) or volume (for aquatic organisms) they occupy.
4. Express this mathematically as: \(\text{Population Density} = \frac{\text{Number of Individuals}}{\text{Area or Volume}}\).
5. Recognize that this measure helps ecologists understand how crowded a population is in its environment, which can influence interactions and resource availability.