Question

In an area, a single banyan tree overshadows 200 Parthenium grass. Which of the following is a more meaningful measure of population density?
(a) Detritus Percent
(b) Standing crop percent
(c) Total number per unit area
(d) Standing state percent

Answer 1

Hint: The density of the population is expressed in terms of biomass per unit area or unit volume. It may be expressed in terms of the amount of above- ground plant biomass. Population density refers to the number of individual organisms of a species living together in a unit area or unit volume.

Complete answer:
In an area, if there are 200 Parthenium plants but only a single Banyan tree with a large canopy. It states that the population density of Banyan is low relative to that of Parthenium amounts to underestimating the enormous role of Banyan in that community. The mass of a particular organism or organism present at a particular time within a defined area, i.e. the total Biomass of the organism or organisms. In such cases standing crop, the percent is a more meaningful measure of the population density. Biomass is plant or animal material used for energy production, or in various industrial processes as a raw substance for a range of products. Standing Crop refers to the amount of biomass at a given time. Usually refers to the amount of above-ground plant biomass.

Additional Information:
- Standing crop is the total dried biomass of the living organisms present in a given environment. This includes both natural ecosystems and agriculture.
- The mass of a particular organism or organism present at a particular time within a defined area, i.e. the total BIOMASS of the organism or organisms.
- Population density is the number of individuals present per unit area or volume at a given time.
So, the correct answer is ‘(b) Standing crop percent’.

Note:
- The standing state is the number of inorganic nutrients found in an ecosystem. It represents a part of non-living matter.
- It circulates between living and non- living components of the ecosystem. It is being regularly depleted and replenished by the living matters.
- Detritus is the dead particulate organic material, as distinguished from dissolved organic material. Detritus typically includes the bodies or fragments of bodies of dead organisms and fecal material.