Concept:Population ecology examines how individuals of the same species are spread out and why their numbers change over time.
Explanation:Population ecology focuses on one species living in the same area at the same time.
It studies population size, density, distribution, birth rate, death rate, and growth.
It does not cover interactions with the physical environment, which is ecosystem ecology.
It also does not study interactions between different populations, which is community ecology.
Thus, population ecology is best defined as the study of the distribution and abundance of individuals within a species.
Answer:D. The study of the distribution and abundance of individuals within a species.