What is ecosystem resilience?

Ecosystem resilience refers to the capacity of an ecosystem to recover from disturbances while maintaining its essential functions, structure, and identity. This concept emphasizes how ecosystems can bounce back after events such as natural disasters, climate changes, or human-induced disruptions. Resilient ecosystems can absorb shocks and stresses, recover quickly, and often retain their biodiversity and productivity.

In contrast, the ability of an ecosystem to evolve pertains more to long-term changes and adaptation over time, rather than immediate recovery. The reduction of species diversity negatively impacts resilience, as diverse ecosystems tend to be more stable and adaptable. Stability in urban environments, although important, does not directly relate to natural ecosystem resilience, which focuses on ecological functions rather than urban systems. Therefore, the capacity of an ecosystem to recover from disturbances most accurately defines ecosystem resilience.