12 Flashcards
Ecological resilience is defined as
The capacity of an ecosystem to tolerate disturbance without switching to a qualitatively different state that is controlled by a different set of processes (Holling 1973)
Why is resilience so appealing
Value of familiar places - Value of particular species - Both together aids in keep an environment historically correct
How do we measure resilience
1) Measure ecosystem states passing thresh holds
2) Measure the recovery times
3) a mixture of 1 and 2
What is a disturbances regime
The size/ frequency/ intensity/ and duration of disturbance
What is desertification
When a none desert area starts to display signs of a true desert. Resulting in reduction in biological productivity, typically from a changing climate
What are the two ideas of biodiversity resilience
Every species contributes equally
Some species contribute more
How can stability be measured
it can be measured as the variability of a community over time or by its resistance to change.
Less stable community will mostly change to a disturbance
What are the trophic levels
Primary producers -> Herbivorous -> Carnivorous -> Decomposers
What is primary productivity?
The energy and materials produced by plants
Gross primary productivity and Net primary productivity
What is Gross primary productivity
The energy (Carbon) fixed during photosynthesis per unit time
What is Net primary productivity
The energy (Carbon) fixed during photosynthesis minus that lost via respiration per unit time
What are some challengers in estimating secondary producers
Fitting animals into trophic levels (Omnivores)
Estimating amounts of decomposing organic matter
Sampling complex communities adequately
