What is the scientific study of population characteristics called?

The scientific study of population characteristics is called demography. This field focuses on analyzing the dynamics of populations, including factors such as birth rates, death rates, migration patterns, and the structure of populations based on age and gender. By examining these aspects, demographers can gain insights into population growth, decline, and the impact of various factors on a population's structure and dynamics over time.

Demography is essential for understanding trends within human populations as well as in other species, allowing researchers to make informed predictions and policy decisions related to health, urban planning, conservation, and resource management. The other choices, while related to the study of populations or living organisms, do not specifically focus on the characteristics and statistical analysis of populations in the way that demography does.