Ecosystem Resilience
The capacity of an ecosystem to recover and return to its original state after experiencing disturbance.
Real World
After the 1980 eruption of Mount St. Helens devastated surrounding forest, ecologists documented near-complete ecosystem recovery within 30 years, with over 150 plant species returning — a real-world measure of high ecological resilience.
Exam Focus
Distinguish resilience (recovery ability) from resistance (withstanding disturbance); exam questions often test whether students can separate these related terms.
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