Question

How can a large amount of biological diversity protect an ecosystem from environmental damage? Why are less biodiverse ecosystems at risk of suffering serious biological harm if subject to even small changes?

Answer 1

In ecosystems with more biodiversity, the food webs and ecological interactions among living organisms are more complex and diverse.In these ecosystems, environmental changes can be more easily compensated for the large amount of available resources, food and survival options.

• In ecosystems with less biodiversity, individuals are more dependent on certain organisms that serve as food and interact with a small number of different species.
• In these ecosystems, abiotic factors are generally restrictive and species are more specialized for such conditions and, as result, more sensitive to environmental changes.
• Therefore, even small-scale environmental damage can cause big disturbances in the equilibrium of the ecosystem.