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Scientists study ecology to understand how species interact with their environment and with other species.

A key part of ecology is understanding where a species is found. This is called its geographic range, or the area where members of that species are found.

Within a geographic range, individuals may be spaced in different patterns. The way individuals are spaced within that range is called dispersion.

In a uniform dispersion, individuals are spaced evenly from one another. This pattern often forms when individuals actively defend territories or compete for evenly distributed resources.

For example, some seabirds nest at regular distances from one another because they defend the area around their nests. This creates an even spacing pattern.

In a random dispersion, individuals are spread unpredictably across an area. The position of one individual does not affect the position of another.

For example, certain cacti grow wherever seeds land and germinate successfully, creating a random pattern.

In a clumped dispersion, individuals are grouped together. This is the most common pattern in nature. Clumped patterns often form around important resources such as food, water, or shelter, or due to social behavior such as grouping for protection or reproduction.

For example, fish often form schools. This lowers the risk of predation and creates a clumped dispersion pattern.