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All 46 Flashcards — Sustainability & Resilience
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Question
Define disturbance in an ecosystem.
Answer
A disturbance is an event that disrupts ecosystem structure or function and changes populations or resource flows.
💡 Hint
Disrupts normal conditions
Question
Define redundancy in an ecosystem.
Answer
Redundancy is when multiple species perform similar roles, so ecosystem functions continue if one species is lost.
💡 Hint
Many species, same function
Question
Define sustainability in ESS.
Answer
Sustainability is using resources at a rate that allows them to be replaced so the system can continue long term.
💡 Hint
Rate of use vs rate of replacement
Question
What does sustainability mean (in simple exam words)?
Answer
Sustainability means using resources at a rate they can be replaced, so the ecosystem can keep going in the future.
💡 Hint
Take only what can regrow
Question
In systems terms, what is a storage?
Answer
A storage is a place where energy or matter is held for a period of time within a system.
💡 Hint
Held within the system
Question
One-line: sustainability vs resilience.
Answer
Sustainability is long-term continued functioning; resilience is ability to recover after disturbance.
💡 Hint
Two short lines
Question
State two features of a low-resilience ecosystem.
Answer
Low biodiversity and small storages reduce the ability to recover after disturbance.
💡 Hint
Low diversity + low storage
Question
How do large storages increase resilience?
Answer
Large storages buffer change by releasing resources slowly, reducing extremes after disturbance.
💡 Hint
Buffer / cushion
Question
List three factors that usually increase resilience.
Answer
High biodiversity, large storages, and redundancy (multiple species doing similar roles).
💡 Hint
Biodiversity + storages + redundancy
Question
Why does low resilience increase the risk of tipping points?
Answer
With little buffering and few backups, disturbances push the system past thresholds more easily.
💡 Hint
Less buffer = higher risk
Question
Define resilience in an ecosystem.
Answer
Resilience is the ability of an ecosystem to resist disturbance and recover after it.
💡 Hint
Bounce back after disturbance
Question
How does redundancy increase resilience?
Answer
If one species declines, others can replace its role, reducing the chance of function collapse.
💡 Hint
Replacement / backup
Question
State one natural and one human disturbance.
Answer
Natural: wildfire, storm, flood, drought. Human: deforestation, pollution, overfishing, oil spill.
💡 Hint
One natural + one human
Question
Give a simple example of sustainable use.
Answer
Sustainable fishing means catching only as many fish as can be replaced by reproduction each year.
💡 Hint
Replace rate
Question
Give one example of a carbon storage.
Answer
Forests and soils store carbon in biomass and organic matter, reducing rapid carbon release to the atmosphere.
💡 Hint
Biomass + soil
Question
If a system has low storages, what happens during disturbance?
Answer
Changes are more extreme because there is little buffering; recovery is slower and collapse risk is higher.
💡 Hint
Low buffer = big swings
Question
Give one ecosystem example that can show low resilience under repeated stress.
Answer
Coral reefs under repeated heat stress can shift to algal-dominated states and recover slowly or not at all.
💡 Hint
Coral reef shift
Question
Give an example of redundancy (pollination).
Answer
Bees, flies, butterflies and beetles can all pollinate; if one declines, others may still pollinate many plants.
💡 Hint
Many pollinators
Question
Exam cue: What chain should you use when writing about resilience?
Answer
Disturbance causes change; resilience determines recovery; recovery shows how fast the system returns towards its previous state.
💡 Hint
Use: Disturbance to Resilience to Recovery
Question
Give a simple example of unsustainable use.
Answer
Cutting down forest faster than it can regrow is unsustainable because the resource gets depleted.
💡 Hint
Using faster than renewal
Question
Why does higher biodiversity usually increase resilience?
Answer
More biodiversity creates more pathways and backup species, so ecosystem functions continue even if one species declines.
💡 Hint
Backup players / alternative pathways
Question
Redundancy vs biodiversity: how are they related?
Answer
High biodiversity often increases redundancy because more species means more chances that roles overlap.
💡 Hint
More species = more overlap
Question
Name one human pressure that reduces resilience.
Answer
Habitat destruction, pollution, overexploitation, and invasive species can reduce resilience by simplifying the ecosystem.
💡 Hint
Simplifies ecosystem
Question
Give one example of a water storage and its benefit.
Answer
Wetlands and lakes store water, reducing floods and providing water during dry periods.
💡 Hint
Flood and drought buffer
Question
Link disturbance to recovery in one sentence.
Answer
After a disturbance, a resilient ecosystem recovers faster and is more likely to maintain key functions and services.
💡 Hint
Use: recovers faster / maintains function
Question
What does resilience mean in ecosystems?
Answer
Resilience is how well an ecosystem can recover after a disturbance and keep functioning.
💡 Hint
Bounce back
Question
Give one feature of a sustainable system.
Answer
Resource use does not exceed renewal, so ecosystem functions and services continue over time.
💡 Hint
Think: continue / long-term
Question
Mini practice: Many species share the same role. Name the term.
Answer
Redundancy.
💡 Hint
Same role, many species
Question
Mini practice: Ability to recover after disturbance. Name the term.
Answer
Resilience.
💡 Hint
Bounce back
Question
Give one example of a resilient ecosystem response.
Answer
After a fire, plants regrow and animals return over time. The ecosystem returns to a working state.
💡 Hint
Recover after fire
Question
How are sustainability and resilience different?
Answer
Sustainability is long-term continued functioning; resilience is short-term ability to recover after disturbance.
💡 Hint
Long-term vs recovery
Question
What is a tipping point (in resilience context)?
Answer
A tipping point is a threshold where small extra change causes a large shift to a new state that may be hard to reverse.
💡 Hint
Threshold to new state
Question
Key link: How do storages support sustainability?
Answer
Maintaining storages prevents rapid depletion, keeping ecosystem services available for the long term.
💡 Hint
Maintain storages = long-term supply
Question
Does redundancy mean species are unimportant?
Answer
No. Redundancy protects function, but losing species still reduces biodiversity and can weaken the system over time.
💡 Hint
Still weakens system
Question
How can managers increase resilience?
Answer
Increase biodiversity, protect or restore storages (forests, wetlands, soils), and reduce chronic human pressures.
💡 Hint
Boost diversity + storages
Question
What is a disturbance? Give one natural and one human example.
Answer
A disturbance is an event that disrupts an ecosystem. Natural: hurricane or fire. Human: oil spill or deforestation.
💡 Hint
Disrupts normal conditions
Question
Why does high biodiversity usually increase resilience?
Answer
More species means more “backup” organisms. If one species declines, others can still keep ecosystem jobs going.
💡 Hint
Backup players
Question
Pollinators example: How does biodiversity help after bees decline?
Answer
If bees decline, other pollinators like butterflies, flies, and beetles can still pollinate many plants.
💡 Hint
More pollinators = safer
Question
What is a storage (easy meaning)?
Answer
A storage is a place where a resource is kept in an ecosystem, like water in a wetland or carbon in a forest.
💡 Hint
Nature’s savings account
Question
Give an example of how a water storage reduces flooding.
Answer
Wetlands store extra water during heavy rain, so less water rushes downstream at once.
💡 Hint
Stores water temporarily
Question
Give an example of a carbon storage in nature.
Answer
Forests store carbon in tree biomass and in soils, which slows how fast carbon enters the atmosphere.
💡 Hint
Trees + soil store carbon
Question
What does redundancy mean in an ecosystem?
Answer
Redundancy means several species do the same job, so the system still works if one species is lost.
💡 Hint
Backup systems
Question
Decomposers example: How is this redundancy?
Answer
Dead leaves can be broken down by fungi, bacteria, earthworms, and beetles. If one is missing, others still decompose.
💡 Hint
Many decomposers
Question
Name two reasons an ecosystem may have low resilience.
Answer
Low biodiversity and small storages reduce resilience. Heavy human pressure (pollution, habitat loss) also lowers resilience.
💡 Hint
Few species + little storage
Question
What is a tipping point (simple meaning)?
Answer
A tipping point is a point where a small extra change causes a big shift, and the ecosystem may not return to the old state.
💡 Hint
Hard to recover
Question
Exam link: How do biodiversity, redundancy and storages increase resilience?
Answer
Biodiversity gives more species. Redundancy gives backup species doing the same job. Storages provide reserves (water/carbon/nutrients). Together they help the ecosystem recover after disturbance.
💡 Hint
Backup + savings = bounce back
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Topic 2.2 hub
Communities and ecosystems
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