Final answer:
An objective tone helps an author convey credibility and clarity on a subject like population biology, aiding in presenting factual information authoritatively.
Therefore, the correct answer is: option D) It establishes a sense of the author's credibility and clarity regarding population biology.
Step-by-step explanation:
When an author creates a direct, objective tone, it helps achieve the purpose of establishing credibility and clarity in population biology.
This tone is achieved through the use of neutral and unemotional language, which builds credibility, or ethos, with the readers.
Objective writing seeks to present facts and information so that readers can determine meaning for themselves. While the authors of objective writing may wish to persuade someone or encourage them to view something a certain way, they do so by presenting verifiable facts, not unverifiable opinions.
In the given passage, by avoiding personal bias and emotional language, the author presents evidence in a way that conveys a sense of authority and knowledge about demography and the regulation of population growth through density-dependent and density-independent factors.
Thus, the correct answer is: It establishes a sense of the author's credibility and clarity regarding population biology.