SOME REMARKS ON DISTURBANCE AND ITS RELATIONS TO DIVERSITY AND STABILITY

The concept of disturbance is related to the concepts of stability and diversity. Some definitions of disturbance are reviewed and three dim ensions of disturbance are recommended to be included in any treatment of disturbance: spatial extent, time involved, and magnitude. The dis tinction between patch disturbance and community disturbance is emphas ised and it is recommended that the study of regeneration after distur bance be studied through patch dynamics. The small-scale turnover of s pecies is discussed and the concept of species turnaround time introdu ced by means of the carousel model. As an answer to a possible multipl e choice question on the relation between the three concepts, 'Disturb ance for Stability' and 'Disturbance for Diversity' are suggested.