ECOLOGY
ORGANISMS AND THE ENVIRONMENT
|
Question
[CLICK ON ANY CHOICE TO KNOW THE RIGHT ANSWER]
|
|
|
available space for organisms in the ecosystem
|
|
|
available food supply for organisms in the ecosystem
|
|
|
the number of species present in the ecosystem
|
|
|
competition between different species in the ecosystem
|
Detailed explanation-1: -Declining biodiversity lowers an ecosystem’s productivity (the amount of food energy that is converted into the biomass) and lowers the quality of the ecosystem’s services (which often include maintaining the soil, purifying water that runs through it, and supplying food and shade, etc.).
Detailed explanation-2: -In the short run, competition should cause a reduction in the number of species living within an area, preventing very similar species from co-occurring. In the long run, however, competition is likely to increase species diversity, by acting as a force for specialization and divergence.
Detailed explanation-3: -Greater biodiversity in ecosystems, species, and individuals leads to greater stability. For example, species with high genetic diversity and many populations that are adapted to a wide variety of conditions are more likely to be able to weather disturbances, disease, and climate change.
Detailed explanation-4: -That is, biodiversity can increase overall ecosystem stability when biodiversity is low, and decrease it when biodiversity is high, or the opposite with a U-shaped relationship.