雅思阅读

📖 Reading Passage

The concept of 'environmental resilience' has gained traction in ecological studies, referring to an ecosystem's capacity to absorb disturbances while maintaining its fundamental structure and functions. Unlike mere resistance, which implies a static defense against change, resilience emphasizes dynamic adaptation. For instance, coral reefs subjected to bleaching events can recover if the underlying stressors, such as rising sea temperatures, are mitigated. However, resilience is not limitless; exceeding critical thresholds can lead to regime shifts, where an ecosystem transitions to an entirely different state, often with reduced biodiversity and ecosystem services. This has profound implications for conservation policy, suggesting that efforts should focus not only on preventing degradation but also on enhancing the adaptive capacity of ecosystems to future shocks.