The intermediate disturbance hypothesis predicts
A)low disturbance will increase diversity.
B)intermediate disturbance will increase diversity.
C)intermediate disturbance will decrease diversity.
D)high disturbance will increase diversity.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The intermediate disturbance hypothesis predicts that moderate levels of disturbance (not too low and not too high) will increase diversity because it allows for a balance between competitive exclusion (where dominant species outcompete others) and local extinction (where species are completely eliminated from the community). This creates opportunities for new species to colonize and coexist with existing species. Both low and high disturbance levels can result in reduced diversity, with low disturbance leading to resource monopolization by dominant species and high disturbance eliminating species that cannot tolerate the extreme conditions.

The Intermediate Disturbance Hypothesis Predicts