Which factors influence an ecosystem's resilience after a disturbance?

• A. Biodiversity, connectivity, and productive feedbacks influence resilience.
• B. Only soil type.
• C. Temperature alone.
• D. The number of herbivores alone.

Answer: (A)

Resilience after a disturbance depends on multiple interacting factors that shape how quickly an ecosystem can bounce back and keep functioning. Biodiversity provides redundancy and a variety of responses to stress, so if some species are damaged, others can take over their roles in processes like nutrient cycling, pollination, and decomposition. This functional diversity helps the system continue operating even when parts of it are disrupted.

Connectivity matters because ecosystems are connected. When habitats are linked, organisms can move into damaged areas, recolonize patches, and bring in genetic variation that supports adaptation. This movement speeds recovery and reduces the chance that a disturbed area stays degraded or shifts to a different state.

Feedbacks within the system also guide recovery. Interactions among organisms and their environment—such as plant–soil relationships, predator–prey dynamics, and nutrient cycling—help regulate growth and resource use after disturbance. These feedbacks can stabilize the system and facilitate return toward its prior structure and function.

Single factors like soil type, temperature, or herbivore numbers can influence outcomes, but resilience is best understood as the result of biodiversity, connectivity, and feedbacks working together to maintain or restore ecosystem structure and function after disturbance.