Ecosystem resilience

Definition

Ecosystem resilience refers to the ability of an ecosystem to withstand disturbances and maintain its essential functions, structure, and processes despite changes or stressors. This concept emphasizes the importance of adaptive capacity, which allows ecosystems to recover from disruptions while adapting to new conditions. Resilience is crucial for sustaining biodiversity and ecosystem services in the face of environmental challenges, making it a key consideration in resource management and conservation strategies.

5 Must Know Facts For Your Next Test

1. Ecosystem resilience can be influenced by both biological factors, such as species diversity, and physical factors, like landscape connectivity.
2. Resilient ecosystems are better able to absorb shocks from disturbances, such as climate change or pollution, without losing their fundamental characteristics.
3. Management practices that promote biodiversity and restore habitats can enhance the resilience of ecosystems over time.
4. Monitoring ecosystem health is essential to understanding resilience and ensuring that ecosystems can adapt effectively to ongoing changes.
5. Ecosystems with high resilience tend to recover more quickly after disturbances and continue providing essential services, like clean air and water.

Review Questions

• How does biodiversity contribute to ecosystem resilience?
  • Biodiversity plays a vital role in ecosystem resilience by providing a variety of species that fulfill different ecological roles. This diversity allows ecosystems to respond better to disturbances because a wider range of species can adapt or recover. Additionally, high biodiversity enhances functional redundancy, meaning that if one species is affected by a disturbance, others can take on its role, maintaining ecosystem functions and processes.
• Discuss the significance of adaptive capacity in enhancing ecosystem resilience in the face of environmental changes.
  • Adaptive capacity is crucial for enhancing ecosystem resilience because it determines how well an ecosystem can adjust to stressors and recover from disturbances. Ecosystems with high adaptive capacity can evolve over time through processes like natural selection, enabling them to cope with changing conditions such as climate shifts or habitat alterations. This adaptability is key for sustaining not only the ecosystem's health but also the services it provides to human societies.
• Evaluate the impact of human activities on the resilience of ecosystems and suggest strategies for improving this resilience.
  • Human activities such as deforestation, pollution, and urbanization can significantly reduce ecosystem resilience by altering habitats and disrupting ecological processes. These changes can lead to decreased biodiversity and increased vulnerability to disturbances. To improve resilience, strategies could include restoring degraded habitats, implementing sustainable land-use practices, and establishing protected areas that conserve biodiversity. By prioritizing these actions, we can help ecosystems adapt better to future challenges while maintaining their essential functions.

Related terms

Biodiversity: The variety of life in a particular habitat or ecosystem, which contributes to resilience by providing a range of species that can fulfill different roles.

Adaptive capacity: The ability of a system to adjust to potential damage, take advantage of opportunities, or respond to changes in environment, enhancing resilience.

Disturbance: An event that disrupts ecosystem structure and function, such as natural disasters or human activities, affecting resilience.