Final answer:
Dispersion in biology refers to the pattern of spacing among individuals within a population, which can be uniform, random, or clumped, revealing much about species interactions and environmental resource distribution.
Step-by-step explanation:
Dispersion refers to how organisms are spaced in a given area, which is option (a). In ecology, there are three main types of dispersion patterns: uniform, random, and clumped. Uniform dispersion occurs when individuals are evenly spaced, often due to competition for resources, as seen with certain plants that secrete chemicals to inhibit the growth of nearby individuals, or in animals that maintain territories. Random dispersion occurs when there is no predictable pattern to how organisms are spaced, such as plants with wind-dispersed seeds that germinate wherever they land. Clumped dispersion is common and reflects group living or the patchy distribution of resources, exhibited by social animals like elephants or plants that drop seeds directly below them. The pattern of dispersion provides insights into population interactions, reproductive patterns, and can affect the ability of species to survive and reproduce.