Ecological disturbances are events that change an ecosystem, such as storms, floods, wildfires, or human activity. Which term describes these disturbances?

• A. Disruption
• B. Biodiversity
• C. Sustainable
• D. Land-use change

Answer: (A)

Disturbances are events that interrupt how an ecosystem functions, changing habitats, populations, and the flow of energy and nutrients. Storms, floods, wildfires, and human activities all act as disturbances by disrupting the normal balance of the system. The term that best captures this idea is disruption, because it directly conveys that the ecosystem’s usual processes are interrupted. Biodiversity describes how many and what kinds of living things are there, not the events that cause change. Sustainable refers to using resources in a way that can last over time, not to disturbances. Land-use change is one way disturbances occur, but the general term for these changing events is disruption.