Ecosystem resilience

Definition

Ecosystem resilience refers to the ability of an ecosystem to recover from disturbances or changes while maintaining its essential functions and structures. This concept is vital in understanding how ecosystems respond to stressors such as climate change, habitat loss, and pollution. Resilient ecosystems can adapt to changing conditions and continue to provide essential services, highlighting their importance in global environmental health.

5 Must Know Facts For Your Next Test

1. Ecosystems with higher biodiversity are generally more resilient because they have a greater variety of species to adapt to changes and disturbances.
2. Climate change can weaken ecosystem resilience by increasing the frequency and intensity of extreme weather events, making recovery more difficult.
3. Restoration efforts aim to enhance ecosystem resilience by reintroducing native species and restoring natural habitats that have been degraded.
4. Resilient ecosystems are crucial for maintaining ecosystem services that are essential for human survival, such as food production and clean water supply.
5. Human activities like deforestation and pollution can significantly reduce the resilience of ecosystems, making them less capable of recovering from environmental stresses.

Review Questions

• How does biodiversity contribute to ecosystem resilience?
  • Biodiversity plays a critical role in enhancing ecosystem resilience because it ensures that a variety of species are present to fulfill different ecological functions. When a disturbance occurs, ecosystems with diverse species can better absorb shocks and recover more effectively. For example, if one species is affected by a disease or climate change, other species may take over its role, helping the ecosystem maintain its stability and function.
• Discuss the implications of climate change on ecosystem resilience and what strategies could be implemented to improve it.
  • Climate change poses significant threats to ecosystem resilience by increasing the severity of disturbances such as droughts and floods. To improve resilience, strategies such as protecting and restoring natural habitats, creating wildlife corridors, and promoting sustainable land-use practices can be implemented. These actions can help ecosystems adapt to changing conditions, maintain biodiversity, and ensure the continued provision of ecosystem services that are vital for human well-being.
• Evaluate the potential long-term effects of reduced ecosystem resilience on global environmental issues.
  • Reduced ecosystem resilience can have severe long-term effects on global environmental issues such as climate regulation, food security, and water quality. As ecosystems struggle to recover from disturbances due to loss of biodiversity or increased pollution, they may fail to provide critical services needed for human survival. This can lead to increased vulnerability to climate impacts, decreased agricultural productivity, and compromised natural resources, ultimately exacerbating global challenges like poverty and inequality.

Related terms

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

Ecosystem Services: The benefits that humans obtain from ecosystems, such as clean water, pollination, and carbon sequestration, which can be affected by the resilience of those ecosystems.

Threshold Effects: Points at which an ecosystem experiences significant changes due to stressors, potentially leading to irreversible shifts that impact resilience.