What does ecosystem resilience refer to?

Ecosystem resilience refers to the capacity of an ecosystem to withstand disturbances and to recover from significant changes or disruptions while maintaining its essential functions and structures. This concept is crucial for understanding the health and sustainability of ecosystems. Resilience implies that an ecosystem can absorb disturbances, such as natural disasters, human activities, or climate shifts, without undergoing a complete change in its overall state. A resilient ecosystem can bounce back after such disturbances, restoring its biodiversity, productivity, and ability to function effectively.

In contrast, the other options focus on different aspects of ecological study. The number of species in a given ecosystem relates to biodiversity, which is an important factor for ecosystem stability but does not directly address the ability to recover from disruptions. Similarly, the amount of biodiversity present in a habitat is related but emphasizes variety rather than resilience itself. Lastly, the adaptation of species to climate changes concerns individual species' capacity to cope with environmental stressors, rather than the ecosystem's collective ability to recover and maintain its processes after being disturbed. Thus, resilience is fundamentally about the ecosystem as a whole, highlighting its strength and recovery capability.