How Do Species Impact the Stability of an Ecosystem?
Plants and animals are the living or biotic components of an ecosystem. They exist in interconnected relationships with the nonliving or abiotic elements, such as the soil and organic matter. Both biotic and abiotic components exist in a state of equilibrium. Disturbances are part of an ecosystem's existence. While an ecosystem has some mechanisms to adapt, change that occurs too abruptly can disrupt its stability.
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Essential Processes
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Both plants and animals sustain ecosystem stability by their roles in essential processes such as photosynthesis by plants and respiration by animals--the absence of which would cause ecosystems to become unstable.
Ecological Balance
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Predator animal species, such as coyotes, maintain ecosystem stability by keeping prey populations of rabbits, for example, in check so other plant resources are not stressed or depleted.
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Nutrient Cycling
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Plant species, such as legumes, maintain the integrity of ecosystems by cycling nitrogen through the system, converting it into a form that can be available to other plants.
Species Removal
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Removal of a predator species, such as the wolf, can cause deer populations to escalate and in turn, stress plant resources on which the deer depend.
Non-Native Species
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Introduction of non-native plant species, such as purple loosestrife, can negatively impact ecosystem stability by out-competing native species for habitat, which further impacts wildlife species by removing their food sources.
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- Photo Credit Image by Flickr.com, courtesy of Jos
