Evaluate the duration and frequency of each impact to habitats (e.g., short vs. long term impacts; light vs. heavy impacts):
Quantify the duration and frequency of each impact to habitats
Assess appropriate levels of duration and frequency of each impact
The duration and frequency of an impact help to determine how vulnerable a habitat is to the impact. Impacts that are short and infrequent are likely to negatively affect habitats less than an impact that is medium or long-term and frequent. Ecosystems are often unable to recover following large and/or frequent disturbances, changing the structure and function of the system.
When changes in the frequency and extent of disturbance outstrip the recovery potential of resident communities, the selective removal of species contributes to habitat loss and fragmentation across landscapes. The degree to which habitat change is likely to influence community resilience will depend on metacommunity structure and connectivity. Thus ecological connectivity is central to understanding the potential for cumulative effects to impact upon diversity.