An ecologist recorded 12 white-tailed deer, Odocoileus virginianus, per square mile in one woodlot and 20 per square mile in another woodlot. What was the ecologist comparing?

The population of white-tailed deer in the two habitats.

Explanation:

Population is defined as the number of individuals per unit area. The unit area can be per hectare, acre, meter square, square mile, or any other acceptable unit for measuring the area of land.

The ecologists identified two different woodlots and counted the population of white-tailed deer in the two. He must have been interested in comparing the population of the animals in the two habitats.