The concept of 'environmental resilience' has gained prominence in ecological studies, referring to an ecosystem's capacity to absorb disturbances while maintaining its fundamental structure and functions. Recent research suggests that resilience is not a fixed attribute but varies with the nature and intensity of stressors. For instance, coral reefs exhibit remarkable recovery after mild bleaching events, yet prolonged thermal stress can trigger irreversible shifts to algal-dominated states. This threshold effect highlights the importance of understanding nonlinear dynamics in ecosystem management. Moreover, human interventions, such as habitat restoration, can enhance resilience by increasing biodiversity, which provides functional redundancy. However, critics argue that overreliance on resilience may lead to complacency, underestimating the need for proactive mitigation of root causes like climate change. Thus, resilience should be viewed as a complementary strategy, not a substitute for reducing anthropogenic pressures.
❓ According to the passage, what is a key limitation of relying solely on environmental resilience as a management strategy?
A. A. It ignores the role of biodiversity in ecosystem recovery.
B. B. It may cause managers to overlook the necessity of addressing underlying causes of stress.
C. C. It is only applicable to marine ecosystems such as coral reefs.
D. D. It assumes that all ecosystems respond to disturbances in a linear manner.
✅ 正确答案
B. It may cause managers to overlook the necessity of addressing underlying causes of stress.
IELTS Reading Tips
Skim the questions first, underline keywords, then locate in the passage
Watch for paraphrasing; correct answers are often reworded
Be wary of absolute statements (all, always, never) — usually wrong
Pay attention to content after transition words (however, but, yet)
Manage time: about 20 minutes per passage; skip difficult questions first