Explain the difference between a population and a community within an ecosystem.

Eduqas GCSE Biology — 6.1 Levels of organisation within an ecosystem · Explain · 4 marks · View as Markdown

Written & reviewed by James Millett — Biology (Imperial College London), PGCE Science (University of Cambridge).

A woodland contains oak trees, bluebells, grey squirrels, woodpeckers, and many other species living together in the same area.

Model answer (4 marks)

A population is all the individuals of a single species living in a given area at the same time.
A community is all the populations of different species living in the same area at the same time.
The key difference is that a population involves one species, whereas a community involves many or all species.
Both refer to organisms living in the same habitat/area at the same time.

Examiner tips

  • Use the definition of population and community verbatim to hit the key points.
  • Show the contrast clearly – one species vs many species.
  • Mention the common element (same area at same time).

Common mistakes

  • Confusing a population with a community by saying both are the same.
  • Omitting the ‘same time’ part of the definition.
  • Using vague terms like ‘group’ instead of ‘population’ or ‘community’.

Mark scheme (4 marks)

  1. A population is all the individuals of the same species living in a given area at the same time
  2. A community is all the populations of different species living in the same area at the same time
  3. The key difference is that a population involves one species whereas a community involves many/all species
  4. Both a population and a community refer to organisms living in the same habitat/area at the same time

Key terms in this question

population · community · ecosystem

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