What does the term "adaptive capacity" refer to?

The term "adaptive capacity" refers to the ability of a system, species, or community to adjust to changes and variability in environmental conditions, particularly in the context of climate change. This includes the capacity to anticipate, prepare for, and respond effectively to impacts. It reflects the resilience of an entity and involves various factors such as genetic diversity, availability of resources, and prior experiences with changes.

Understanding adaptive capacity is crucial for wildlife ecology because it determines how species can cope with changing climates, habitat loss, and other environmental pressures. For example, species with higher adaptive capacity may develop new behaviors or find alternative resources, allowing them to survive and thrive despite adverse conditions.

Other options do not accurately capture the essence of adaptive capacity. "Adaptive response" implies an action taken in response to a change but doesn't encompass the overall capacity to adapt. "Mitigative response" focuses on actions to alleviate problems rather than the ability to adjust. "Mitigative capacity" pertains to the ability to reduce or prevent the negative impacts of changes rather than the capacity to adapt to them. Thus, the correct understanding of adaptive capacity is integral to developing effective conservation strategies in wildlife ecology.