Based on the intermediate disturbance hypothesis, a community's species diversity is
A)increased by frequent massive disturbance.
B)increased by stable conditions with no disturbance.
C)increased by moderate levels of disturbance.
D)increased when humans intervene to eliminate disturbance.
E)increased by intensive disturbance by humans.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The intermediate disturbance hypothesis suggests that moderate levels of disturbance can increase species diversity in a community by creating opportunities for new species to establish themselves and by preventing dominant species from completely dominating the community. Frequent massive disturbance (A) can reduce species diversity by eliminating many species, while stable conditions (B) can lead to competitive exclusion of less competitive species. Human intervention to eliminate disturbance (D) or intensive disturbance by humans (E) can have unpredictable and potentially negative effects on species diversity.

Based on the Intermediate Disturbance Hypothesis, a Community's Species Diversity