Definition of "population" (biology) A collection of organisms of a particular species , sharing a particular characteristic of interest , most often that of living in a given area . quotations
Quotations Plant breeding is always a numbers game . […] The wild species we use are rich in genetic variation , […]. In addition , we are looking for rare alleles , so the more plants we try , the better . These rarities may be new mutations , or they can be existing ones that are neutral —or are even selected against —in a wild population . A good example is mutations that disrupt seed dispersal , leaving the seeds on the heads long after they are ripe .
2013 May-June, David Van Tassel, Lee DeHaan, “Wild Plants to the Rescue”, in American Scientist, volume 101, number 3