Increased alpha diversity (the number of species present) generally leads to greater stability, meaning an ecosystem that has a greater number of species is more likely to withstand a disturbance than an ecosystem of the same size with a lower number of species.
In what way a diverse community becomes stable?
The Stability Diversity Hypothesis states that the more diverse a community , the more stable it is. Another hypothesis states that a community is most stable at its climax sere, which is characterized by one or a few dominant species, which consequently lowers diversity.
Why are diverse communities more stable?
Diverse communities could maintain consistently high function because the species driving function change over time (functional turnover) or because they are more likely to contain key species with temporally stable functioning .
Does diversity always lead to stability?
Viewpoint: Yes, greater species diversity does lead to greater stability in ecosystems . ... Ecologists tend to focus their attention on species diversity, also known as biodiversity, within particular ecosystems, although ecosystems are always part of a larger continuum.
Why do some communities have higher diversity than others?
Differences in species diversity among communities occur because of differences in environment , differences in the kinds and strengths of species interactions, or both.
Does diversity stabilize ecosystems?
Evidence from multiple ecosystems at a variety of temporal and spatial scales, suggests that biological diversity acts to stabilize ecosystem functioning in the face of environmental fluctuation .
How do you know if an ecosystem is stable?
An ecosystem is said to possess ecological stability (or equilibrium) if it is capable of returning to its equilibrium state after a perturbation (a capacity known as resilience) or does not experience unexpected large changes in its characteristics across time.
What makes a community stable?
The characteristics that make a community stable are: (i) Less variation in productivity from year to year . (ii) Resistance or resilience to occasional disturbances (natural or man-made). (iii) Resistance to invasions by alien species.
Why it is important that a community is stable?
The stability-diversity hypothesis states that the more diverse a community is , the more stable and productive the community is. This hypothesis was formed from the basis that more stable and productive communities can use their resources better and more efficiently as compared to communities of less diversity.
What features make a community stable?
- (i) Communities should have greater biodiversity for greater stability.
- (ii) It should be able to prevent invasion by alien species.
- (iii) It should be able to restore itself in a short period of time.
- (iv) Variations should be minimal in the community.
Are complex ecosystems more stable?
ECOLOGISTS have generally held that a complex ecosystem is more likely to be stable than is a simpler one.
How does species diversity affect stability?
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 the loss of species diversity affect ecosystem stability?
A decrease in biodiversity causes a decrease in ecosystem stability, because a change to one organism will have a greater impact on the entire ecosystem. With greater biodiversity, the loss of one type of organism could be moderated by the adaptation of other organisms to fill its role.
How do you know if a community is more diverse?
Larger numbers of species and more even abundances of species lead to higher species diversity . For example: A forest community with 20 different kinds of trees would have greater species diversity than a forest community with only 5 kinds of trees (assuming that the tree species were even in abundance in both cases).
Why is it important to have multiple organisms living in the same area?
Organisms compete for the resources they need to survive- air, water, food, and space. In areas where these are sufficient, organisms live in comfortable co-existence , and in areas where resources are abundant, the ecosystem boasts high species richness (diversity).
What defines the number of organisms living in a community?
Abundance is an expression of the total number of organisms in a biological community, while diversity is a measure of the number of different species in that community.
