Which of the following examples would most accurately measure the dispersion of a population being studied?
A) counting the number of times a one-kilometer transect is intersected by tracks of red squirrels after a snowfall
B) measuring the distance between several burrows within a large prairie dog colony in a grassland
C) measuring the average distance between individuals and their nearest neighbor, and then analyzing the variation and comparing those measurements at larger scales
D) counting the number of zebras from airplane census observations

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Measuring the average distance between individuals and their nearest neighbor and analyzing the variation would give a more accurate measurement of dispersion. The other options do not directly measure dispersion and may only provide information on population abundance or spatial distribution.

Which of the Following Examples Would Most Accurately Measure the Dispersion