Question

The intermediate disturbance hypothesis predicts that moderate disturbances will tend to:

Select one:

a. . increase diversity of microhabitats, but decrease diversity of species

b. decrease diversity of microhabitats and species in an area

c. decrease diversity of microhabitats, but increase diversity of species

d. increase diversity of microhabitats and species in an area

Answer 1

The correct answer is option d i.e increase diversity of microhabitats and species in an area. The intermediate disturbance hypothesis (IDH) suggests that local species diversity is maximized when ecological disturbance is neither too rare nor too frequent i.e moderate. High levels of disturbance will wipe out all species, and low levels of disturbance allow superior competitors to eventually drive other species to extinction, Thus, moderate disturbance results in maximum diversity of species and habitat.