Ecosystem Values and Disturbances Values Resistance vs Resilience

Ecosystem Values and Disturbances

Values Resistance vs. Resilience Intermediate Disturbance Hypothesis Succession (primary vs. secondary)

Value of an Ecosystem Instrumental Intrinsic • Cultural services: • Value independent of any benefit to humans. – The knowledge we gain • Provisions – pharmaceuticals • Regulating Services – Act as filters of Carbon dioxide • Support Systems – Pollination – Filter water

What do you think happened here?

List some things that could cause disturbances in an ecosystem. • • Hurricanes Ice storms Volcanoes Forest fires Agriculture Deforestation Air pollution surface mining

Resistance vs. Resilience Resistance Resilience • The measure of how much a disturbance can affect the flows of matter and energy in an ecosystem • An ecosystem’s ability to return to its original state.

Are all disturbances bad?

The intermediate Disturbance Hypothesis States ecosystems experiencing intermediate levels of disturbance are more diverse than those with high or low disturbance levels.

Primary Succession vs. Secondary succession

Succession

Aquatic succession

Now draw your own on the back of the paper… • Include the labels – Primary succession or secondary succession – Pioneer species – Intermediate species – Climax community 4 stages