Describe how environmental change can impact ecosystem stability

* Pollution * Deforestation * Climate Change * Urbanization * Introduced Species * Disease * Poaching * The list goes on and on…

Ecosystem stability: the ability of an ecosystem to maintain its structure and function despite disturbances. Ecosystem structure includes physical and geological structures of the landscape, biodiversity, population sizes and interactions Ecosystem function refers to processes such as water and nutrient cycling and biomass productivity

Resistance * An ecosystem’s ability to keep its structure & continue normal functions, even after a change Resilience * An ecosystem’s ability to regain normal structure and function after a change

* Species respond to environmental change in ways that enable them to maintain homeostasis. * Populations respond in ways that reflect the success or failure of members of the population to survive and reproduce. * Communities respond to environmental change in ways that reflect the responses of the species and populations in the community.

Keystone SpeciesIndicator Species

* Nonnative species that outcompete native species for resources due to lack of predators/competitors. *

* Describe how changes in the environment affect the stability of ecosystems.