DISTURBANCES IN THE ECOSYSTEM

What is a Disturbance?

Disturbances are actions that alter the workings of an ecosystem. They may come in the form of a forest fire, the fall of a tree, a very dry summer, a plague, or a storm. They are either originating from the nature itself, or they are consequence of the interference of the human beings.

The Forest’s Defense Mechanisms

The forest can resist certain types of disturbances. For example, the bark of on oak projects the tree from the high temperatures of a fire: the pine’s deep root allow it to survive during periods of drought. The other survival tactics can be seen in the way some plants produce new shoot or germinate new seeds after a fire.

Effects on the Forest

The consequences of the forest fire, a plague, or tree felling depending on the exact type of damage done to the ecosystem’s elements, and on which animals and plants are destroyed or threatened.

If the plants have been almost totally destroyed, two things can occur: new plants or seed may grow from the few undamaged shoots, or seeds that have fallen onto the grounds from plants in other ecosystems may germinate and grow there.

A New Forest is Born

In the later case, a different type of forest will grow and flourish with time. This explains why there is so many pine forest, which have supplanted the old oak forests.

If the plants have not been totally destroyed, their roots and stems will produce new shoots. The plants then adapt to the new conditions of light, heat, and humidity.

Disturbances in the ecosystem (Click on the picture to have large view)

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