Final answer:
A population is a group of organisms of the same species living in the same area, capable of interbreeding. Ecologists study populations to assess their health and observe changes over time. Communities and ecosystems are broader concepts that include multiple populations and their interactions with each other and the environment.
Step-by-step explanation:
In the context of ecology and biological sciences, a population is defined as b) A group of organisms of the same species living in the same area. A population consists of all the individuals of the same species that live and interact within a specific area. These organisms are able to reproduce with each other, indicating that they belong to the same species.
Population ecology is the scientific study of these groups, focusing on aspects like population density, dispersion, and the birth and death rates, providing insights into the health and stability of the population. Additionally, population ecology looks at how populations change over time and respond to the environment. For example, the population of white pine trees in a forest would include all the white pine tree individuals growing there.
While a population involves organisms of a single species, a community encompasses different populations of various species that live in the same area and interact with one another, and an ecosystem includes all the living things, along with the abiotic components of a particular area.