Environmental changes can have significant effects on ecosystems, leading to shifts in species composition, population dynamics, and overall ecosystem structure and function. Various types of environmental changes can impact ecosystems, and some of the key ways they affect ecosystems are as follows:

Changes in environmental conditions can cause a change in an ecosystem through a process known as ecological succession. Ecological succession is the gradual and predictable process by which an ecosystem changes in structure and species composition over time. There are two main types of ecological succession:

Environmental changes, whether natural or human-induced, can initiate ecological succession and lead to changes in an ecosystem's structure, species composition, and functioning. The specific trajectory and rate of succession depend on the nature of the disturbance and the ecological characteristics of the ecosystem.

Dr Gaurav H Tandon thank you for your contribution to the discussion

Dr Neda Ravankhah thank you for your contribution to the discussion

Climate change can alter where species live, how they interact, and the timing of biological events, which could fundamentally transform current ecosystems and food webs. Climate change can overwhelm the capacity of ecosystems to mitigate extreme events and disturbance, such as wildfires, floods, and drought. Impacts of climate change on ecosystems reduce their ability to improve water quality and regulate water flows. Rapid changes to ecosystems may cause the displacement or loss of many species. Timing of biological events is shifting, affecting species and habitats. Natural causes of changes in ecosystems include wildfire, disease, and flooding. Human causes of changes in ecosystems include clearing land for other use, pollution, and introducing invasive species. As climate change continues, some ecosystems may expand while others may face harsh challenges. Important direct drivers include habitat change, climate change, invasive species, overexploitation, and pollution. Most of the direct drivers of degradation in ecosystems and biodiversity currently remain constant or are growing in intensity in most ecosystems. Physical attributes can include temperature, hydrology, and physical habitat, as well as major physical events that reshape ecological systems, such as fires, floods, and windstorms. Chemical attributes can include pH, dissolved oxygen concentrations, and nutrients. Biodiversity is important for maintaining the balance of the ecosystem in the form of combating pollution, restoring nutrients, protecting water sources and stabilizing climate. Deforestation, global warming, overpopulation and pollution are a few of the major causes of loss of biodiversity. Most plants and animals live in areas with very specific climate conditions, such as temperature and rainfall patterns, that enable them to thrive. Any change in the climate of an area can affect the plants and animals living there, as well as the makeup of the entire ecosystem. In some cases, poor environmental conditions damage a plant directly. In other cases, environmental stress weakens a plant and makes it more susceptible to disease or insect attack. Environmental factors that affect plant growth include light, temperature, water, humidity and nutrition.