How can biodiversity be an indicator of the stability of an ecosystem?

Question

Josephine Allen · Accepted Answer

The more diversified an ecosysem is the more likely it is to be stable due to a repetition of function among organisme.

Imagine that there is only one species for each essential purpose in an ecosystem where every species serves a single purpose. The entire ecosystem could collapse in the event of a disturbance or environmental change that causes one of the species to become extinct. Imagine an ecosystem with greater diversity, meaning there are multiple species for each purpose. In the event that one or two of its species become extinct, this ecosystem is more likely to still fulfill all of its essential purposes. One way diversity can lead to more stable ecosystems is through providing a backup keystone species in case something goes wrong.

Olivia Akins · Answer

undefined Biodiversity indicates the variety of life in an ecosystem. Higher biodiversity often leads to increased stability as different species can compensate for fluctuations, contributing to ecosystem resilience. Diverse ecosystems tend to have a better chance of adapting to environmental changes, thus promoting overall stability.