D4.2
Stability & Change March 20th 2026
Stability Ecosystem
of
function despite change
ability
to maintain it's structure over time
stable
ecosystem resist
change
&
may disrupt
it's
steady state
-
-if there is disturbance, ecosystem shouldbe able to restore it's
state
original
Example of Stable
ecosystem
+Tropical rainforest -
Coral reef
Threat:deforestation for cattle threat:thermal threat
coral
slash burn
bleaching
loss of
Impact: biodiversity impact:Reef are a
keystone
loss of fishes
+ Boreal forest + Sonoran desert
Threat: permafrost that Threat: acquifer
depletion
Resistance: of face of disturbance
ability ecosystem to remain stable in
Factors to
contributing stability:
I
supply
of
energy
nutrient
recycling
I
genetic diversity
+
+ climate variation
, for life
Energy steady
supply, ecosystem collapse
- without
process,
+
high diversity:resistantto change
Stable balancedflow
ecosystem requires
Greatervariation individual fitness
genetically increase
->
-
diverse
health & overall
reproductive population health
& red
Mangrove, white, black
Tipping point
critical threshold the
change result
in irreversible
change
-
ecosystem structure, function or composition
-once
reached, ecosystem undergoes profound tranformation -
loss of
of
biodiversity & collapse population
Mesocosm
experimental tool allow the to
experiment control the condition in a smaller
partof the natural environment
outage
tested
Treatment
replicated sustainability
+
+ test environmental factor
+
Food web established
-Contamination influenced
Stability & Change March 20th 2026
Stability Ecosystem
of
function despite change
ability
to maintain it's structure over time
stable
ecosystem resist
change
&
may disrupt
it's
steady state
-
-if there is disturbance, ecosystem shouldbe able to restore it's
state
original
Example of Stable
ecosystem
+Tropical rainforest -
Coral reef
Threat:deforestation for cattle threat:thermal threat
coral
slash burn
bleaching
loss of
Impact: biodiversity impact:Reef are a
keystone
loss of fishes
+ Boreal forest + Sonoran desert
Threat: permafrost that Threat: acquifer
depletion
Resistance: of face of disturbance
ability ecosystem to remain stable in
Factors to
contributing stability:
I
supply
of
energy
nutrient
recycling
I
genetic diversity
+
+ climate variation
, for life
Energy steady
supply, ecosystem collapse
- without
process,
+
high diversity:resistantto change
Stable balancedflow
ecosystem requires
Greatervariation individual fitness
genetically increase
->
-
diverse
health & overall
reproductive population health
& red
Mangrove, white, black
Tipping point
critical threshold the
change result
in irreversible
change
-
ecosystem structure, function or composition
-once
reached, ecosystem undergoes profound tranformation -
loss of
of
biodiversity & collapse population
Mesocosm
experimental tool allow the to
experiment control the condition in a smaller
partof the natural environment
outage
tested
Treatment
replicated sustainability
+
+ test environmental factor
+
Food web established
-Contamination influenced
