Back to Topic 1.3 — Equilibrium, stability and resilience

1.3.2ESS SL60 flashcards

Resilience

Practice Flashcards

Flip to reveal answers

Card 1 of 601.3.2

Question

List one factor that reduces resilience.

Click to reveal answer

Track your progress — Sign up free to save your progress and get smart review reminders based on spaced repetition.

All 60 Flashcards — Resilience

Card 1example

Question

List one factor that reduces resilience.

Answer

Loss of biodiversity, repeated disturbances, removal of storages, or strong human pressures (pollution/deforestation).

💡 Hint

Any one factor.

Card 2example

Question

What human inputs often trigger lake eutrophication?

Answer

Excess nitrates and phosphates from agriculture runoff or sewage discharge.

💡 Hint

N + P nutrients.

Card 3example

Question

Define resilience in ESS.

Answer

Resilience is a system’s ability to absorb disturbance and keep functioning (or recover) without collapsing.

💡 Hint

Absorb + recover.

Card 4example

Question

Which type of feedback usually supports resilience?

Answer

Strong negative feedback loops usually support resilience because they counteract change.

💡 Hint

Negative feedback stabilises.

Card 5example

Question

Resilience: one-sentence definition?

Answer

Ability to recover from disturbance and keep functioning over time.

💡 Hint

Recover + persist.

Card 6example

Question

Resilience: one-sentence definition?

Answer

Ability to recover from disturbance and keep functioning over time.

💡 Hint

Recover + persist.

Card 7example

Question

How can deforestation reduce resilience?

Answer

It reduces biodiversity and biomass storage, weakening buffers and increasing tipping point risk.

💡 Hint

Less diversity + less storage.

Card 8example

Question

How can deforestation reduce resilience?

Answer

It reduces biodiversity and biomass storage, weakening buffers and increasing tipping point risk.

💡 Hint

Less diversity + less storage.

Card 9example

Question

List one factor that reduces resilience.

Answer

Loss of biodiversity, repeated disturbances, removal of storages, or strong human pressures (pollution/deforestation).

💡 Hint

Any one factor.

Card 10example

Question

Define resilience in ESS.

Answer

Resilience is a system’s ability to absorb disturbance and keep functioning (or recover) without collapsing.

💡 Hint

Absorb + recover.

Card 11example

Question

What human inputs often trigger lake eutrophication?

Answer

Excess nitrates and phosphates from agriculture runoff or sewage discharge.

💡 Hint

N + P nutrients.

Card 12example

Question

Which type of feedback usually supports resilience?

Answer

Strong negative feedback loops usually support resilience because they counteract change.

💡 Hint

Negative feedback stabilises.

Card 13example

Question

What increases resilience most reliably?

Answer

High biodiversity and large/multiple storages (buffers).

💡 Hint

Diversity + storage.

Card 14example

Question

What increases resilience most reliably?

Answer

High biodiversity and large/multiple storages (buffers).

💡 Hint

Diversity + storage.

Card 15example

Question

What is an algal bloom?

Answer

Rapid growth of algae due to high nutrient levels, often turning water green and reducing light.

💡 Hint

Nutrients → algae.

Card 16example

Question

What is a disturbance?

Answer

A sudden event that disrupts a system (e.g., fire, flood, disease, pollution).

💡 Hint

Shock event.

Card 17example

Question

What is a disturbance?

Answer

A sudden event that disrupts a system (e.g., fire, flood, disease, pollution).

💡 Hint

Shock event.

Card 18example

Question

What is an algal bloom?

Answer

Rapid growth of algae due to high nutrient levels, often turning water green and reducing light.

💡 Hint

Nutrients → algae.

Card 19example

Question

How can monoculture farming affect resilience?

Answer

It reduces biodiversity and functional redundancy, making ecosystems less able to recover from disturbance.

💡 Hint

Low diversity.

Card 20example

Question

How does biodiversity increase resilience?

Answer

More species/roles create redundancy; if one fails, others can replace its function.

💡 Hint

Redundancy.

Card 21example

Question

How can monoculture farming affect resilience?

Answer

It reduces biodiversity and functional redundancy, making ecosystems less able to recover from disturbance.

💡 Hint

Low diversity.

Card 22example

Question

How can positive feedback affect resilience?

Answer

Strong positive feedback amplifies change and can reduce resilience by pushing systems toward tipping points.

💡 Hint

Amplifies change.

Card 23example

Question

How can positive feedback affect resilience?

Answer

Strong positive feedback amplifies change and can reduce resilience by pushing systems toward tipping points.

💡 Hint

Amplifies change.

Card 24example

Question

How does biodiversity increase resilience?

Answer

More species/roles create redundancy; if one fails, others can replace its function.

💡 Hint

Redundancy.

Card 25example

Question

Why do fish often die during eutrophication?

Answer

Decomposition of dead algae/plants uses dissolved oxygen, causing hypoxia and fish kills.

💡 Hint

Decomp uses O2.

Card 26example

Question

Why are resilient systems described as dynamic?

Answer

They can change in the short term after disturbance but remain stable in the long term.

💡 Hint

Short-term change is normal.

Card 27example

Question

Why do fish often die during eutrophication?

Answer

Decomposition of dead algae/plants uses dissolved oxygen, causing hypoxia and fish kills.

💡 Hint

Decomp uses O2.

Card 28example

Question

Give one action that increases ecosystem resilience.

Answer

Protect habitats, restore mixed native species, improve soil management, or restore wetlands.

💡 Hint

Increase diversity + storages.

Card 29example

Question

Give one example of a tipping point shift.

Answer

Clear lake + nutrient input → algal bloom → murky, low-oxygen lake state.

💡 Hint

Lake example.

Card 30example

Question

How do large storages increase resilience?

Answer

Large/multiple storages buffer change and slow system response, reducing collapse risk.

💡 Hint

Storage = buffer.

Card 31example

Question

What reduces resilience most reliably?

Answer

Loss of diversity, shrinking storages, and strong human pressures (pollution/deforestation/overuse).

💡 Hint

Less diversity + less storage.

Card 32example

Question

Why are resilient systems described as dynamic?

Answer

They can change in the short term after disturbance but remain stable in the long term.

💡 Hint

Short-term change is normal.

Card 33example

Question

How do large storages increase resilience?

Answer

Large/multiple storages buffer change and slow system response, reducing collapse risk.

💡 Hint

Storage = buffer.

Card 34example

Question

Give one example of a tipping point shift.

Answer

Clear lake + nutrient input → algal bloom → murky, low-oxygen lake state.

💡 Hint

Lake example.

Card 35example

Question

Give one action that increases ecosystem resilience.

Answer

Protect habitats, restore mixed native species, improve soil management, or restore wetlands.

💡 Hint

Increase diversity + storages.

Card 36example

Question

What reduces resilience most reliably?

Answer

Loss of diversity, shrinking storages, and strong human pressures (pollution/deforestation/overuse).

💡 Hint

Less diversity + less storage.

Card 37example

Question

Low resilience increases what risk?

Answer

Crossing tipping points and shifting to a new equilibrium.

💡 Hint

Tipping points.

Card 38example

Question

Give one example of a resilient ecosystem.

Answer

A diverse forest that can regrow after fire and continue functioning.

💡 Hint

Diversity helps.

Card 39example

Question

Give one example of a storage that supports resilience.

Answer

Soil nutrients, forest biomass, water in lakes/reservoirs, or carbon in vegetation.

💡 Hint

Name a storage.

Card 40example

Question

Give one example of a storage that supports resilience.

Answer

Soil nutrients, forest biomass, water in lakes/reservoirs, or carbon in vegetation.

💡 Hint

Name a storage.

Card 41example

Question

What happens after a tipping point is crossed?

Answer

The system settles into a new equilibrium, often difficult to reverse.

💡 Hint

New equilibrium.

Card 42example

Question

What happens after a tipping point is crossed?

Answer

The system settles into a new equilibrium, often difficult to reverse.

💡 Hint

New equilibrium.

Card 43example

Question

Low resilience increases what risk?

Answer

Crossing tipping points and shifting to a new equilibrium.

💡 Hint

Tipping points.

Card 44example

Question

Why can ecosystem damage be “delayed or hidden”?

Answer

Feedback delays mean impacts appear later, so humans may respond only when collapse is near.

💡 Hint

Delays.

Card 45example

Question

Why can ecosystem damage be “delayed or hidden”?

Answer

Feedback delays mean impacts appear later, so humans may respond only when collapse is near.

💡 Hint

Delays.

Card 46example

Question

Why can eutrophication be hard to reverse?

Answer

Nutrients stored in sediments can keep feeding algal growth even after inputs are reduced.

💡 Hint

Sediment nutrient store.

Card 47example

Question

Why can eutrophication be hard to reverse?

Answer

Nutrients stored in sediments can keep feeding algal growth even after inputs are reduced.

💡 Hint

Sediment nutrient store.

Card 48example

Question

Give one example of a resilient ecosystem.

Answer

A diverse forest that can regrow after fire and continue functioning.

💡 Hint

Diversity helps.

Card 49example

Question

Best exam line linking people to resilience?

Answer

Human actions can raise or lower resilience by changing biodiversity and storages, affecting tipping point risk.

💡 Hint

Mention biodiversity + storages.

Card 50example

Question

What is the simplest rule for resilience actions?

Answer

Actions that increase diversity and storages usually increase resilience.

💡 Hint

Diversity + storage.

Card 51example

Question

What happens when resilience is low?

Answer

The system is more likely to cross a tipping point and shift to a new equilibrium.

💡 Hint

Low resilience → tipping points.

Card 52example

Question

Why does low resilience increase tipping point risk?

Answer

With weaker buffers and fewer stabilising processes, disturbances push the system past thresholds more easily.

💡 Hint

Weak buffers.

Card 53example

Question

Is eutrophication often a reinforcing loop? Explain briefly.

Answer

Yes: more nutrients → more algae → more death/decomposition → conditions that can release/retain nutrients, driving more algae.

💡 Hint

Reinforcing loop.

Card 54example

Question

How can management increase resilience?

Answer

Reduce pressures, protect diversity, and strengthen storages/buffers to support stabilising feedback.

💡 Hint

Reduce pressure + build buffers.

Card 55example

Question

Best exam line linking people to resilience?

Answer

Human actions can raise or lower resilience by changing biodiversity and storages, affecting tipping point risk.

💡 Hint

Mention biodiversity + storages.

Card 56example

Question

Why does low resilience increase tipping point risk?

Answer

With weaker buffers and fewer stabilising processes, disturbances push the system past thresholds more easily.

💡 Hint

Weak buffers.

Card 57example

Question

How can management increase resilience?

Answer

Reduce pressures, protect diversity, and strengthen storages/buffers to support stabilising feedback.

💡 Hint

Reduce pressure + build buffers.

Card 58example

Question

What happens when resilience is low?

Answer

The system is more likely to cross a tipping point and shift to a new equilibrium.

💡 Hint

Low resilience → tipping points.

Card 59example

Question

What is the simplest rule for resilience actions?

Answer

Actions that increase diversity and storages usually increase resilience.

💡 Hint

Diversity + storage.

Card 60example

Question

Is eutrophication often a reinforcing loop? Explain briefly.

Answer

Yes: more nutrients → more algae → more death/decomposition → conditions that can release/retain nutrients, driving more algae.

💡 Hint

Reinforcing loop.

Read the notes

Full study notes for Resilience

Topic 1.3 hub

Equilibrium, stability and resilience

Track your progress with spaced repetition

Start Free