What does ecosystem resilience refer to?

Ecosystem resilience refers to the capacity of an ecosystem to recover from disturbances or changes, such as natural disasters, human activities, or climate changes. This concept highlights the ability of ecosystems to absorb shocks while maintaining essential functions and processes. When an ecosystem is resilient, it can bounce back after being disrupted, restoring its structure, species composition, and ecological dynamics over time.

This understanding of resilience underscores the importance of biodiversity and the interconnections within an ecosystem that support recovery. For instance, a diverse range of species can provide varying functions and roles that help the ecosystem stabilize after a disturbance.

The incorrect options highlight different aspects of ecosystems. While expanding a habitat (one option) focuses on growth rather than recovery, the maximum number of species (another option) relates to biodiversity but not the system's ability to recover. Lastly, merely considering species diversity does not capture the dynamic process of recovery after a disturbance, which is central to the idea of resilience. Therefore, the correct definition of ecosystem resilience is its ability to recover from disturbances.