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Related Concept Videos

Ecological Disturbance02:26

Ecological Disturbance

An ecological disturbance is a temporary disruption in the environment resulting from abiotic, biotic, or anthropogenic factors, causing a pronounced change in an ecosystem. The impact of an ecological disturbance, which can depend on its intensity, frequency, and spatial distribution, plays a significant role in shaping the species diversity within the ecosystem.Ecological disturbances can be caused by an event as small as the trampling of underbrush to an incident as wide-ranging as a forest...
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Distribution and Dispersion00:54

Distribution and Dispersion

Ecology is the study of how organisms interact with their environment and with one another. An important aspect of ecology is understanding where species are found and how individuals are distributed within those areas. The geographic range of a species refers to the total area where its members are located, while dispersion describes the pattern of spacing of individuals within that range.Geographic Range and Dispersion PatternsWithin a species’ geographic range, individuals may be distributed...
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Freshwater Microbial Ecology

Freshwater systems such as streams, rivers, and lakes exhibit distinct physical and biological characteristics that influence their microbial communities. These environments are broadly categorized into lotic systems—those with flowing waters like streams and most rivers—and lentic systems, which include still or slow-moving waters such as lakes, ponds, and marshes.In lentic systems, phytoplankton drive primary production, generating autochthonous organic carbon. In contrast, lotic systems...
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Habitat Fragmentation

Habitat fragmentation describes the division of a more extensive, continuous habitat into smaller, discontinuous areas. Human activities such as land conversion, as well as slower geological processes leading to changes in the physical environment, are the two leading causes of habitat fragmentation. The fragmentation process typically follows the same steps: perforation, dissection, fragmentation, shrinkage, and attrition.
Keystone Species01:39

Keystone Species

Measures of species biodiversity, such as richness (i.e., the number of species present) and evenness (i.e., their relative abundance), describe an ecological community’s structure. Many factors affect community structure, including abiotic factors (e.g., sunlight and nutrients), disturbances (e.g., fire or flood), species interactions (e.g., predation or competition), and chance events (e.g., foreign species invasion). Certain species—such as keystone species—also play a pivotal role in the...

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Measuring the Structure, Composition, and Change of Underwater Environments with Large-area Imaging
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Measuring the Structure, Composition, and Change of Underwater Environments with Large-area Imaging

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Disturbed island ecology.

R J Whittaker1

  • 1School of Geography, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK 0X1 3TB.

Trends in Ecology & Evolution
|January 18, 2011
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Island ecological theory often overlooks natural disturbances. Incorporating disturbance regimes into models is crucial for understanding island ecosystems, especially for species with long generation times.

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Area of Science:

  • Ecology
  • Island Biogeography

Background:

  • Island ecological theory has historically downplayed the impact of natural disturbances.
  • Disturbed islands are often viewed as deviations from equilibrium models, which may not be suitable for all island ecosystems.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To highlight the importance of natural disturbances in island ecological theory.
  • To advocate for the inclusion of disturbance regimes in ecological models for islands.

Main Methods:

  • This study is primarily theoretical, analyzing existing ecological models and theories.
  • It reviews the impact of significant events like Hurricane Hugo on Caribbean islands.

Main Results:

  • Equilibrium models may not accurately represent disturbed island ecosystems, particularly those with long-lived species.
  • The significance of natural disturbances has been underestimated in the development of island ecological theory.

Conclusions:

  • Disturbance regimes should be integrated into island ecological models.
  • Wildlife managers and theorists must consider disturbance as a key factor in island ecosystem dynamics, alongside colonization and turnover patterns.