Greater biodiversity in ecosystems, species, and individuals leads to greater stability. For example, species with high genetic diversity and many populations that are adapted to a wide variety of conditions are more likely to be able to weather disturbances, disease, and climate change.
How does biodiversity increase stability of an ecosystem?
Diversity-Stability Theory
Biologically diverse communities are also more likely to contain species that confer resilience to that ecosystem because as a community accumulates species, there is a higher chance of any one of them having traits that enable them to adapt to a changing environment.
What is stability in biodiversity?
Biodiversity and Ecosystem Stability
Ecosystem stability is the ability of an ecosystem to maintain a steady state, even after a stress or disturbance has occurred. … Areas with high levels of species and genetic diversity are likely to have a more complex ecosystem, with a variety of food webs and biotic interactions.
How does biodiversity affect the stability of an ecosystem quizlet?
How does biodiversity affect the stability of an ecosystem? Having a number of different organisms increases the stability of an ecosystem, because a change in the population of one organism will have less effect on the population of an organism that depends on it.
Why does biodiversity increase?
As a general rule, increasing biodiversity can be achieved by diversifying the range of habitats or vegetation structures available at a site. This can be achieved by, for example, varying mowing regimes, planting or seeding with native tree and shrub species, or occasional soil disturbance.
When might an increase in biodiversity lead to a decrease in the stability of an ecosystem?
An increase in biodiversity usually leads to an increased stability, but in the case of an invasive species it would lead to a decreased stability.
Why is stability important in an ecosystem?
Ecosystem stability is an important corollary of sustainability. Over time, the structure and function of a healthy ecosystem should remain relatively stable, even in the face of disturbance. If a stress or disturbance does alter the ecosystem is should be able to bounce back quickly.
Why is biodiversity important to ecosystems?
Ecological life support— biodiversity provides functioning ecosystems that supply oxygen, clean air and water, pollination of plants, pest control, wastewater treatment and many ecosystem services. … Our tourism industry also depends on biodiversity .
Does the loss of biodiversity alter the stability of ecosystems and the integrity of ecosystems?
Loss of biodiversity undermines the ability of ecosystems to function effectively and efficiently and thus undermines nature’s ability to support a healthy environment. This is particularly important in a changing climate in which loss of biodiversity reduces nature’s resilience to change.
Why is biodiversity important to ecosystems quizlet?
Biodiversity is the variety of life in the world or in a particular habitat or ecosystem. Biodiversity is important because it provides us with Natural Resources (Food, Water, Wood, etc.) Natural Services (Pest Control, Air and Water Purification, etc.) and of course, Aesthetic Pleasure.
How does biodiversity increase ecosystem productivity?
Biodiversity increased the resistance of ecosystem productivity to a broad range of climate events (biodiversity main effect in Table 1 and Fig. 1b). That is, more diverse communities exhibited smaller proportional changes in productivity during climate events.
What happens to sustainability when biodiversity increases?
The higher the biodiversity of an ecosystem, the more sustainable it is. Conversely, lower biodiversity equals less sustainability. Why is this? The higher biodiversity in an ecosystem means that there is a greater variety of genes and species in that ecosystem.