Final answer:
A population refers to all individuals of the same species living within a specific area. Therefore, the answer is the blue jays living in Fresno, CA, but all choices could potentially be correct depending on the context provided for each group of animals.
Step-by-step explanation:
In biology, a population is defined as all individuals of the same species living within a specific area. When determining which of the listed choices is an example of a population, we can rely on this definition to guide us. As such, the answer is:
- The blue jays living in Fresno, CA (a)
This is because it refers to a specific species living within a defined area, which fits the definition of a population. The other options, such as the animals living at the Chaffee Zoo or the black bears in Kings Canyon National Park, might also be considered populations if they are referring to specific species rather than mixed groups of species. Therefore, all of these choices could be correct, depending on the context.
A community is the sum of various populations in an area, for instance, trees, insects, and other species forming a forest community. An ecosystem includes all living things in an area plus the abiotic factors like nitrogen or rainwater. Specific examples would be helpful in each case to verify whether a group truly constitutes a population.