We could all use some R&R

     Resistance is a plant's ability to survive a disturbance. Whether we are considering them adaptations or exaptations either way these characteristics allow for a plant to survive. Just as we have discussed some plant’s resistance to fire, others have resistance to flooding and can tolerate extremely wet conditions.

     Resilience is a plant species ability to return to a stable equilibrium after a disturbance. Though the plant itself may not survive, its future will.  I would compare this to my yard full of dandelions. Even though I don’t use chemicals, we feed a lot of dandelions to rabbits. I send my kids out to pick them quite frequently. My children would be the disturbance. Those dandelions have devised a sneaky trick to attract my children to them after they have flowered. They entice my children to spread their future generations of seeds all over the neighborhood because it is just way to much fun not to blow them apart. The dandelions always come back. This may not be spot on as far as a good example, but it helps me to separate the two in my mind.

     I think that building and maintaining resistance and resilience are great concepts to incorporate into natural resources as long as we are working with native species. My worry would be about adding new species which could cause state changes after the disturbance instead of maintaining previous phase changes.