Disturbance
A disturbance alters the stream bank and affects the surrounding ecosystem.
Disturbances are infrequent events that produce broad changes. Disturbance events are difficult to study because they are random and result in unpredictable changes in the surrounding environment. There can be more than one disturbance happening simultaneously, producing complicated interactions within the landscape. Abiotic (non-living) disturbance events may include fire, drought, flood, and storms. Biotic (living) factors include insect infestations, diseases, and grazing. Direct human impacts modify ecosystems and are sometimes a secondary cause for disturbance events. Human impacts like construction, logging, and introducing invasive species disrupt ecosystems.
Disturbance events can vary across time scales and over different areas. Disturbance events can be persistent and produce long term effects. An example of a persistent disturbance event can be the introduction of an exotic species. Changes from this event may occur over a long period of time, like an altered food chain and out competing native species.
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