Ecosystem Resilience

Definition

Ecosystem resilience refers to the ability of an ecosystem to absorb disturbances and still maintain its basic structure and function. This concept highlights how ecosystems can recover from stressors such as climate change, habitat destruction, and invasive species, while continuing to provide essential services like clean water, air purification, and biodiversity support. Understanding ecosystem resilience is crucial as it relates directly to the health and sustainability of biodiversity and the ecosystem services that humans depend on.

5 Must Know Facts For Your Next Test

1. Ecosystem resilience can be enhanced through biodiversity, as diverse ecosystems are more likely to adapt to changes and recover from disturbances.
2. Healthy ecosystems provide vital services, such as pollination and nutrient cycling, which are critical for food production and overall environmental health.
3. Resilience is not just about bouncing back; it also involves the ability of ecosystems to adapt and transform in response to long-term changes.
4. Human activities like deforestation, pollution, and urbanization can diminish ecosystem resilience by reducing biodiversity and altering natural processes.
5. Monitoring indicators of resilience can help in managing ecosystems sustainably, ensuring they continue to provide services despite environmental pressures.

Review Questions

• How does biodiversity contribute to ecosystem resilience?
  • Biodiversity contributes to ecosystem resilience by providing a variety of species that can fulfill different roles within the ecosystem. This diversity allows ecosystems to better withstand disturbances because if one species is affected by a stressor, others may compensate for its loss. A rich variety of life forms also enhances the functional redundancy within ecosystems, meaning that critical ecological functions can continue even when some species decline.
• Discuss the relationship between ecosystem services and resilience in the context of environmental change.
  • Ecosystem services are closely linked to resilience as healthy ecosystems that possess high resilience are better equipped to provide essential services even during environmental changes. For example, resilient wetlands can filter pollutants and mitigate flooding even after experiencing stress from climate events. Conversely, when ecosystems lose their resilience due to degradation or loss of biodiversity, their ability to provide these critical services diminishes, impacting human well-being.
• Evaluate the implications of diminished ecosystem resilience on human society in light of climate change.
  • Diminished ecosystem resilience poses significant implications for human society, especially in the context of climate change. As ecosystems become less able to cope with increasing temperatures, altered precipitation patterns, and extreme weather events, essential services such as food production, clean water supply, and disease regulation may be compromised. This not only threatens biodiversity but also jeopardizes economic stability and public health. Addressing these challenges requires proactive measures in conservation and sustainable management to enhance the resilience of our ecosystems.

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 adapt to changing conditions.

Ecosystem Services:

The benefits that humans derive from ecosystems, including provisioning, regulating, supporting, and cultural services that enhance quality of life.

Thresholds: Points at which an ecosystem experiences a significant change in structure and function due to stressors, beyond which recovery may be difficult or impossible.