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Ecological Disturbance

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.

What is Climate?

What is Climate?

Climate refers to the prevailing weather conditions in a specific area over an extended period. As the saying goes, “Climate is what you expect. Weather is what you get.” Climate is influenced by geographic factors, such as latitude, terrain, and proximity to bodies of water.

Global Climate Change

Global Climate Change

Throughout its ~4.5 billion year history, the Earth has experienced periods of warming and cooling. However, the current drastic increase in global temperatures is well outside of the Earth’s cyclic norms, and evidence for human-caused global climate change is compelling. Paleoclimatology, the study of ancient climate conditions, provides ample evidence for human-caused global climate change by comparing recent conditions with those in the past.

Threats to Biodiversity

Threats to Biodiversity

There have been five major extinction events throughout geological history, resulting in the elimination of biodiversity, followed by a rebound of species that adapted to the new conditions. In the current geological epoch, the Holocene, there is a sixth extinction event in progress. This mass extinction has been attributed to human activities and is thus provisionally called the Anthropocene. In 2019 the human population reached 7.7 billion people and is projected to comprise 10 billion by...

Habitat Fragmentation

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.

Adaptations that Reduce Water Loss

Adaptations that Reduce Water Loss

Though evaporation from plant leaves drives transpiration, it also results in loss of water. Because water is critical for photosynthetic reactions and other cellular processes, evolutionary pressures on plants in different environments have driven the acquisition of adaptations that reduce water loss.

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Updated: Feb 23, 2026

Simulating Impacts of Ice Storms on Forest Ecosystems

Simulating Impacts of Ice Storms on Forest Ecosystems

Published on: June 30, 2020

Forest disturbances under climate change.

Rupert Seidl¹, Dominik Thom¹, Markus Kautz²

¹Institute of Silviculture, Department of Forest and Soil Sciences, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences (BOKU) Vienna, Peter Jordan Straße 82, 1190 Wien, Austria.

Nature Climate Change

|September 2, 2017

Summary

This summary is machine-generated.

Forest disturbances like fire and insect outbreaks are increasing with warmer, drier climates. Warmer, wetter conditions also boost wind and pathogen disturbances, signaling a future of more frequent forest disruptions.

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Area of Science:

Ecology and Environmental Science
Climate Change Research
Forestry Science

Background:

Forest ecosystems are highly sensitive to climatic shifts.
Current understanding of large-scale forest disturbance dynamics under climate change is incomplete.
Key factors like interaction effects and feedback mechanisms require further investigation.

Purpose of the Study:

To synthesize global data on climate change impacts on major forest disturbance agents.
To analyze how abiotic (fire, drought, wind, snow, ice) and biotic (insects, pathogens) factors respond to climate shifts.
To identify regions and forest types most vulnerable to future disturbances.

Main Methods:

Global synthesis of existing research on climate change and forest disturbances.
Analysis of correlations between climatic variables (temperature, precipitation) and disturbance types.
Assessment of interaction effects between disturbance agents and indirect climate impacts.

Main Results:

Warmer and drier conditions strongly promote fire, drought, and insect disturbances.
Warmer and wetter conditions are linked to increased wind and pathogen disturbances.
Interactions between disturbance agents are expected to amplify impacts, while vegetation changes may dampen sensitivities.

Conclusions:

Forest disturbance regimes are significantly altered by climate change.
Coniferous forests and the boreal biome are projected to experience the most pronounced changes.
Both natural ecosystems and human societies must prepare for escalating forest disturbance frequency and intensity.