Resilience

Definition

Resilience is the capacity of an ecosystem to recover from disturbances and maintain its essential functions and structures. It involves the ability to withstand environmental changes and continue supporting energy flow and nutrient cycles.

5 Must Know Facts For Your Next Test

1. Resilience helps ecosystems recover from natural disasters like fires, floods, or droughts.
2. Biodiversity often enhances an ecosystem's resilience by providing a variety of species that can adapt to changes.
3. Human activities such as deforestation and pollution can reduce ecosystem resilience.
4. Ecosystems with high resilience are better at maintaining energy flow through food webs despite disturbances.
5. Adaptive management practices in conservation aim to enhance ecosystem resilience.

Review Questions

• How does biodiversity affect the resilience of an ecosystem?
• What are some human activities that can decrease the resilience of ecosystems?
• Why is resilience important for maintaining energy flow in ecosystems?

Related terms

Biodiversity: The variety of life in a particular habitat or ecosystem which contributes to its resilience.

Ecosystem Stability: The ability of an ecosystem to remain consistent over time despite disturbances.

Adaptive Management: A systematic approach for improving resource management by learning from management outcomes.