Question

an ecosystem is a complex web of relationships and interactions among organisms in their environment. in general, an ecosystem can remain relatively constant over a long time under stable conditions. however, a change in one or more of the biotic or abiotic factors can disrupt the ecosystem and cause change. a change brought about by a physical, chemical, or biological agent that impacts population size or community structure is called a disturbance. disturbances can occur over short or long time frames. the type and size of the disturbance can affect how the ecosystem changes. for example, a tsunami rapidly disrupts a coastal ecosystem by flooding habitats and saturating soil with salt. figure 1: a tsunami causes devastating flooding. infer how might the carrying capacity of a coastal ecosystem change as the result of a tsunami? explain using one or more examples.

Explanation:

A tsunami floods habitats and saturates soil with salt. This destroys food - sources and living spaces for organisms. For example, many plants may die due to salt - water inundation, reducing food availability for herbivores. Also, the physical destruction of nesting and breeding areas for animals decreases the number of individuals that can be supported. So, the carrying capacity of the coastal ecosystem decreases.

Answer:

The carrying capacity of a coastal ecosystem would likely decrease as a result of a tsunami. For instance, plant death due to salt - water exposure reduces food for herbivores and destruction of habitats limits living space for animals.