Log out Go to App
Go to App

Learning Materials

Features

Discover

Chapter 5: Problem 13

What is meant by ecosystem resilience? What can cause it to fail? How does this relate to environmental tipping points?

Short Answer

Expert verified
Ecosystem resilience is the ability of an ecosystem to resist and recover from disturbances. It can fail due to reasons like pollution, habitat destruction, invasive species, overexploitation of resources and climate change. This concept is closely related to environmental tipping points which are thresholds beyond which the ecosystem cannot recover and undergoes irrevocable changes.

Step by step solution

01

Understanding Ecosystem Resilience

Ecosystem resilience refers to the capacity of an ecosystem to resist damage and recover quickly after disturbances. In essence, it's the ecosystem's ability to bounce back after experiencing changes, while maintaining its essential functions and structure.
02

Causes of Ecosystem Resilience Failure

Ecosystem resilience can fail due to several factors, such as environmental pollution, habitat destruction, introduction of invasive and alien species, overexploitation of resources, and climate change. These disturbances can damage the ecosystem, thereby reducing its ability to recover.
03

Relationship between Ecosystem Resilience and Environmental Tipping Points

Environmental tipping points are thresholds whereby even minor changes can cause the ecosystem to shift radically into a fundamentally different state. A resilient ecosystem can absorb these disturbances up to certain thresholds, but beyond these thresholds (tipping points), it may not recover, leading to its irrevocable changes. Thus, ecosystem resilience and environmental tipping points are closely related: the higher the ecosystem resilience, the further the tipping point is.

Unlock Step-by-Step Solutions & Ace Your Exams!

  • Full Textbook Solutions

    Get detailed explanations and key concepts

  • Unlimited Al creation

    Al flashcards, explanations, exams and more...

  • Ads-free access

    To over 500 millions flashcards

  • Money-back guarantee

    We refund you if you fail your exam.

Start your free trial

Over 30 million students worldwide already upgrade their learning with Vaia!

One App. One Place for Learning.

All the tools & learning materials you need for study success - in one app.

Get started for free

Most popular questions from this chapter

What are three situations that might cause microclimates to develop within an ecosystem?

Name and describe the roles of the three main trophic categories that make up the biotic structure of every ecosystem. Give examples of organisms from each category.

Give four categories of consumers in an ecosystem and the role that each plays.

What is meant by the term stakeholder? How does ecosystem management involve stakeholders?

Can ecosystems be restored? What has to happen for that to work?
See all solutions

Recommended explanations on Environmental Science Textbooks

Pollution

Read Explanation

Environmental Research

Read Explanation

Energy Resources

Read Explanation

Ecology Research

Read Explanation

Sustainability

Read Explanation

Biological Resources

Read Explanation
View all explanations

What do you think about this solution?

We value your feedback to improve our textbook solutions.

Study anywhere. Anytime. Across all devices.

Sign-up for free