Select all that apply. Which of the following statements are true regarding the relationship between diversity and ecosystem health?

Question

BlackTom AI · Accepted Answer

Functional redundancy and the diversity–resistance relationship are central ideas in ecology that explain why the two selected statements are true.

1) Relevant knowledge points and concepts
- Biodiversity includes species richness and functional diversity (different roles species play).  
- Functional redundancy: multiple species perform similar ecological roles, so loss of one species may be compensated by others.  
- Resistance and resilience: resistance is an ecosystem’s ability to withstand disturbance (including invasions and disease), resilience is its ability to recover.  
- Insurance hypothesis and niche complementarity: higher diversity often provides “backup” functions and more complete use of available resources, leaving fewer opportunities for invaders or pathogens.

2) Step-by-step reasoning
- If an ecosystem contains several species that perform similar functions (e.g., nitrogen fixation, pollination), the loss of one species does not immediately eliminate that function because others can fill the role → this is functional redundancy.  
- Diverse communities typically use resources more completely (complementarity) and present a greater variety of biotic interactions (predation, competition, mutualisms) that can suppress establishment and spread of invasive species or pathogens → thus higher diversity can increase resistance to invasion and disease.

3) Calculations
- No numerical calculations are required for these conceptual statements.

4) Why the correct answers are correct
- “Functional redundancy may be present in diverse ecosystems.” Diversity increases the chance that species overlap in function; empirical studies show redundancy buffers ecosystem processes.  
- “High diversity can contribute to higher resistance to invasion and disease.” Experimental and observational studies support that more diverse communities often reduce invader success and dilute pathogen transmission.

5) Why the other options are incorrect
- “High diversity often leads to a simpler and less resilient ecosystem.” Incorrect: high diversity generally increases complexity, and often (but not always) enhances resilience; the option’s claim is the opposite of typical ecological theory.  
- “Lower diversity always results in a more stable ecosystem.” Incorrect because “always” is too strong—many low-diversity systems are fragile, and stability depends on specific species, interactions, and context.

Conclusion: The best choices are “Functional redundancy may be present in diverse ecosystems.” and “High diversity can contribute to higher resistance to invasion and disease.” This matches the provided correct answers.

Select all that apply. Which of the following statements are true regarding the relationship between diversity and ecosystem health? 多项选择题

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