intermediate disturbance hypothesis

The intermediate disturbance hypothesis suggests that ecosystems with moderate levels of disturbance—neither too frequent nor too rare—tend to support the greatest diversity of species. Frequent disturbances can prevent some species from establishing, while infrequent ones allow dominant species to take over and reduce diversity. Moderate disturbances create opportunities for different species to coexist by preventing any one group from becoming too dominant, thus promoting overall biodiversity. This balance helps maintain healthy, resilient ecosystems with a variety of plants, animals, and other organisms.