The difference between a community and a population lies in their definitions in ecology. A population refers to a group of individuals of the same species living in a specific area, sharing resources, and capable of interbreeding. For instance, all the grey wolves in a forest make up a population. On the other hand, a community encompasses all the different populations of various species interacting in a specific environment, such as the forest ecosystem that includes trees, birds, insects, and mammals. Understanding these distinctions is pivotal for studying ecological interactions and conservation biology.