In ecological terms, a population refers to a group of individuals of the same species that live in a particular area and can interbreed. Out of the options given, the one that best represents a population is:
B) all of the species of cichlid fish in Lake Victoria
This is because it refers specifically to a group of similar organisms (cichlid fish) that share a common habitat (Lake Victoria). Each of the other options describes different categories:
- A) all of the microorganisms on your skin – This refers to a community of different species, not a population of a single species.
- C) all of the students in your classroom – This is a group of individuals, but they belong to different species (humans). Therefore, it does not qualify as a population in the ecological sense.
- D) a – This option is incomplete and doesn’t represent a proper example.
Thus, the best example of a population from the options provided is B, as it highlights a specific group of a single species within a defined area.