Ecosystem degradation

Ecosystem Degradation - Oil spill © Public Domain

Ecosystem Degradation caused by the Exxon Valdez oil spill © Public Domain

Ecosystem degradation is the deterioration of an ecosystem. An ecosystem is deemed ‘healthy’ if it has high levels of biodiversity and is able to cope with environmental changes. An ecosystem may be degraded and deemed ‘unhealthy’ if it has been polluted, has lost a keystone species or is experiencing high rates of organism mortality.

Glossary of Galapagos