ecological disturbance caused by forest fire
Aerial view of the remains of trees on a hillside after a forest fire.
ecological disturbance
ecology
Also known as: disturbance
ecological disturbance, an event or force, of nonbiological or biological origin, that brings about mortality to organisms and changes in their spatial patterning in the ecosystems they inhabit. Disturbance plays a significant role in shaping the structure of individual populations and the character of whole ecosystems. Minor disturbances include localized wind events, droughts, floods, small wildland fires, and disease outbreaks in plant and animal populations. In contrast, major disturbances include large-scale wind events (such as...
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