Final answer:
Population density refers to the average number of individuals per unit area or volume, and population distribution describes the arrangement of individuals within the area.
Step-by-step explanation:
The difference between population density and population distribution is that population density refers to the average number of individuals per unit of area or volume, whereas population distribution describes how those individuals are arranged or spread out within that area.
An example illustrating this would be a population of insects and a population of plants: if 820 insects are living in a 1.2-acre area, their density is approximately 683 insects per acre. In contrast, if there are 560 flowering plants in a 0.2-acre area, the plant population density would be significantly higher at 2,800 plants per acre.
The arrangement or distribution pattern of these populations could vary from clumped to random to uniform, depending on factors specific to the species and the environment. This concept is paramount in understanding various ecological phenomena, such as the ability of species to find mates, the competition for resources, and the overall health of the population.