Final answer:
Population density is defined as the number of individuals per unit area. High-density populations can result in crowding and may have negative effects on health. Population distribution describes the spatial arrangement of individuals within their habitat.
Step-by-step explanation:
A population's density is calculated as the number of individuals per unit area. This measure helps to describe how many individuals of a species are found within a specific area, revealing insights into the ecology of a population. For instance, take a population of 100 insects. If they are spread across an area of 100 square meters, the population density is 1 insect per square meter. In contrast, if the same population of insects is found within just 1 square meter, the population density increases significantly to 100 insects per square meter, indicating a much more crowded environment.
Crowding can have multiple effects on the health and survival of a population. High-density populations may face more competition for resources, have higher transmission rates of disease, and increased stress, which can negatively affect reproduction and survival rates.
Conversely, population distribution refers to how these individuals are spread across their habitat, which may be influenced by environmental factors and the characteristics of the species itself. For example, organisms might be clumped in certain parts of the habitat, evenly spread out, or random depending on these factors.