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2.5 Natural Disruptions to Ecosystems

2 min readdecember 27, 2022

Joshua Nielsen

Joshua Nielsen

Joshua Nielsen

Joshua Nielsen

Change is a Constant

Our Earth, due to species interference and the life cycles, experiences constant changes. Some are slow and always evolving, some are fast and sporadic, and some are somewhere in the middle. Effects that these processes have can be drastic or negligible to certain ecosystems, and can happen to have short-term or longer-term effects. Manmade, or , disasters may be equal to any natural counterparts.

These alterations in Earth's happenings can be random (like a lightning strike from one storm), seasonal (the months in which hurricanes occur to form a hurricane season), or by episode (like stages of a volcanic eruption). For example, glaciers and climate change are contributing to , which increases flooding in coastal cities or communities. These are manmade disasters that can have great effects on ecosystems. Naturally, disasters such as the cold can cause migrations, such as geese in Canada finding similar conditions further south to escape snow and ice storms during winter.

Resistance and Resilience

Resistance is a measurement of how much an ecosystem changes after a disruption (forest fire, invasive species...).  If there is little change, the ecosystem has a high resistance and is considered to be quite stable. That is to say, this ecosystem would bear the brunt of the disaster without experiencing much internal damage.

Resilience is the measure of how quickly the ecosystem can ‘bounce back’ from the disturbance. It is a measure of how quickly an ecosystem can recover and rebuild its environment.

Intermediate Disturbance Hypothesis

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/3/37/Intermediate_Disturbance_Hypothesis_Graph.svg/800px-Intermediate_Disturbance_Hypothesis_Graph.svg.png

Image courtesy of Wikipedia

Maximum species diversity is reached when an ecosystem experiences an intermediate level of disturbance. It is because both early and are able to survive at the same time. An (grasses, shrubs) is one that is able to exist in an ecosystem first, requiring fewer nutrients and existing with less interspecies competition. A is the opposite, and has found the ecosystem more recently. So, an ecosystem with a moderate amount of disturbance (detectable, not destructive!) will allow all succession levels to survive the best they can. 🎥 Watch: AP Environmental Science Streams

Key Terms to Review (7)

Anthropogenic

: Anthropogenic refers to environmental changes or processes that are caused by human activities. It includes any impact on the environment resulting from human actions, such as pollution, deforestation, and climate change.

Early Succession Species

: Early succession species are the pioneer plants and animals that quickly colonize an area following a disturbance or during primary succession. These species are often characterized by their ability to tolerate harsh conditions and rapidly reproduce.

Ecosystem Resilience

: Ecosystem resilience refers to the ability of an ecosystem to recover and adapt after being disturbed or experiencing changes. It is a measure of how well an ecosystem can withstand and bounce back from disturbances, such as natural disasters or human activities.

Ecosystem Resistance

: Ecosystem resistance is the ability of an ecosystem to withstand or recover from disturbances without undergoing significant changes in structure or function. It indicates how well an ecosystem can resist damage and maintain its stability.

Intermediate Disturbance Hypothesis

: The Intermediate Disturbance Hypothesis suggests that moderate levels of disturbance in an ecosystem promote higher biodiversity compared to low or high levels of disturbance. According to this hypothesis, periodic disturbances create opportunities for new species colonization while preventing competitive exclusion by dominant species.

Late Succession Species

: Late succession species are organisms that thrive in mature ecosystems with stable environmental conditions. They are typically slow-growing, long-lived, and well-adapted to the specific ecological niche they occupy.

Sea Level Rise

: Sea level rise refers to an increase in the average height of the Earth's oceans over time. It is primarily caused by global warming and melting glaciers.

2.5 Natural Disruptions to Ecosystems

2 min readdecember 27, 2022

Joshua Nielsen

Joshua Nielsen

Joshua Nielsen

Joshua Nielsen

Change is a Constant

Our Earth, due to species interference and the life cycles, experiences constant changes. Some are slow and always evolving, some are fast and sporadic, and some are somewhere in the middle. Effects that these processes have can be drastic or negligible to certain ecosystems, and can happen to have short-term or longer-term effects. Manmade, or , disasters may be equal to any natural counterparts.

These alterations in Earth's happenings can be random (like a lightning strike from one storm), seasonal (the months in which hurricanes occur to form a hurricane season), or by episode (like stages of a volcanic eruption). For example, glaciers and climate change are contributing to , which increases flooding in coastal cities or communities. These are manmade disasters that can have great effects on ecosystems. Naturally, disasters such as the cold can cause migrations, such as geese in Canada finding similar conditions further south to escape snow and ice storms during winter.

Resistance and Resilience

Resistance is a measurement of how much an ecosystem changes after a disruption (forest fire, invasive species...).  If there is little change, the ecosystem has a high resistance and is considered to be quite stable. That is to say, this ecosystem would bear the brunt of the disaster without experiencing much internal damage.

Resilience is the measure of how quickly the ecosystem can ‘bounce back’ from the disturbance. It is a measure of how quickly an ecosystem can recover and rebuild its environment.

Intermediate Disturbance Hypothesis

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/3/37/Intermediate_Disturbance_Hypothesis_Graph.svg/800px-Intermediate_Disturbance_Hypothesis_Graph.svg.png

Image courtesy of Wikipedia

Maximum species diversity is reached when an ecosystem experiences an intermediate level of disturbance. It is because both early and are able to survive at the same time. An (grasses, shrubs) is one that is able to exist in an ecosystem first, requiring fewer nutrients and existing with less interspecies competition. A is the opposite, and has found the ecosystem more recently. So, an ecosystem with a moderate amount of disturbance (detectable, not destructive!) will allow all succession levels to survive the best they can. 🎥 Watch: AP Environmental Science Streams

Key Terms to Review (7)

Anthropogenic

: Anthropogenic refers to environmental changes or processes that are caused by human activities. It includes any impact on the environment resulting from human actions, such as pollution, deforestation, and climate change.

Early Succession Species

: Early succession species are the pioneer plants and animals that quickly colonize an area following a disturbance or during primary succession. These species are often characterized by their ability to tolerate harsh conditions and rapidly reproduce.

Ecosystem Resilience

: Ecosystem resilience refers to the ability of an ecosystem to recover and adapt after being disturbed or experiencing changes. It is a measure of how well an ecosystem can withstand and bounce back from disturbances, such as natural disasters or human activities.

Ecosystem Resistance

: Ecosystem resistance is the ability of an ecosystem to withstand or recover from disturbances without undergoing significant changes in structure or function. It indicates how well an ecosystem can resist damage and maintain its stability.

Intermediate Disturbance Hypothesis

: The Intermediate Disturbance Hypothesis suggests that moderate levels of disturbance in an ecosystem promote higher biodiversity compared to low or high levels of disturbance. According to this hypothesis, periodic disturbances create opportunities for new species colonization while preventing competitive exclusion by dominant species.

Late Succession Species

: Late succession species are organisms that thrive in mature ecosystems with stable environmental conditions. They are typically slow-growing, long-lived, and well-adapted to the specific ecological niche they occupy.

Sea Level Rise

: Sea level rise refers to an increase in the average height of the Earth's oceans over time. It is primarily caused by global warming and melting glaciers.


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© 2024 Fiveable Inc. All rights reserved.

AP® and SAT® are trademarks registered by the College Board, which is not affiliated with, and does not endorse this website.