Question

An ecologist samples the number of individuals in a population of algae in water that is 10 m deep. He uses a 1 m2 sampling technique, where he randomly drops a 1-m2 square and then counts the number of individuals for this specific species of algae where it drops. He repeats this ten times and finds that the average number of individuals in the counts is 12. The total area covered by the population is 100 m2. Using this method, how many individuals are in the population

Answer 1

1200 individuals

Step-by-step explanation:

Population is the total number of individual occupying a particular area at a specific time.

The average number of individuals per 1 m2 was 12. The total area covered by the population is 100 m2. In order to get the total number of individuals in the population;

Total population = average number of individuals per 1 m2 x total area.

= 12 x 100

= 1200 individuals.

The total number of individuals in the population is 1200.