Ecosystem resilience

Definition

Ecosystem resilience is the ability of an ecosystem to absorb disturbances and still maintain its basic structure and function. It reflects how well an ecosystem can recover from stressors such as climate change, pollution, and habitat destruction, while continuing to provide essential services like clean air, water, and biodiversity.

5 Must Know Facts For Your Next Test

1. Resilient ecosystems can quickly recover from disturbances, maintaining their functionality and stability even after significant environmental changes.
2. High levels of biodiversity contribute to greater ecosystem resilience by providing a wider range of responses to disturbances.
3. Ecosystem services, like carbon sequestration and water filtration, are directly linked to the resilience of ecosystems; healthier ecosystems tend to provide better services.
4. Human activities that increase stress on ecosystems can reduce their resilience, leading to a greater risk of irreversible changes or collapse.
5. Ecosystem management practices aimed at enhancing resilience often include restoring habitats, reducing pollution, and protecting biodiversity.

Review Questions

• How does biodiversity enhance ecosystem resilience?
  • Biodiversity enhances ecosystem resilience by increasing the variety of species and genetic variations within an ecosystem. This diversity allows ecosystems to better withstand and adapt to disturbances because different species may respond uniquely to stressors. For instance, if one species is impacted by a disease or changing climate conditions, other species might thrive or fill the ecological roles left vacant. Thus, higher biodiversity generally means a greater capacity for recovery.
• What role do ecosystem services play in the context of ecosystem resilience?
  • Ecosystem services are critical for supporting human life and well-being, and their availability is closely tied to the resilience of ecosystems. When an ecosystem is resilient, it can continue providing essential services like clean water, air purification, and pollination even after experiencing disturbances. Conversely, when ecosystems lose their resilience due to stressors, the services they provide may diminish or disappear, affecting both ecological health and human societies that rely on these services for survival.
• Evaluate the implications of decreased ecosystem resilience on global environmental challenges like climate change.
  • Decreased ecosystem resilience has serious implications for global challenges such as climate change. As ecosystems become less resilient due to factors like habitat destruction or pollution, they lose their ability to adapt and recover from climatic shifts. This can lead to increased greenhouse gas emissions from degraded habitats, diminished biodiversity, and disrupted water cycles. The resulting feedback loops can exacerbate climate change effects, making it more difficult for both natural systems and human societies to cope with environmental changes.

Related terms

Biodiversity:

The variety of life forms in a given ecosystem, including the diversity of species, genetic variation, and ecosystem diversity, which are crucial for resilience.

Ecosystem Services: The benefits that humans derive from ecosystems, such as provisioning, regulating, cultural, and supporting services that are influenced by the resilience of the ecosystem.

Disturbance: Any event that disrupts ecosystem structure and function, such as natural disasters or human activities, which can challenge the resilience of an ecosystem.