AP BIOLOGY

Detailed explanation-1: -Disturbance is fundamental to the maintenance and diversity of many ecosystems as it can create heterogeneity in resources, substrate availability, and the physical environment. Climatic disturbances are shown to increase the spatiotemporal heterogeneity of landscapes, permitting the coexistence of species.

Detailed explanation-2: -Examples of ecological disturbances include fires, landslides, flooding, windstorms and insect and pest outbreaks. Disturbances often come in the form of short-term or temporary changes to the landscape but can have very significant ecosystem impacts.

Detailed explanation-3: -Disturbances act to disrupt stable ecosystems and clear species’ habitat. As a result, disturbances lead to species movement into the newly cleared area (secondary succession). Once an area is cleared there is a progressive increase in species richness and competition between species takes place.

Detailed explanation-4: -Major ecological disturbances may include fires, flooding, storms, insect outbreaks and trampling.