Ecosystem stability refers to the capacity of a natural system to apply self-regulating mechanisms to ensure sustained productivity, resistance or resilience to occasional disturbances (natural or man-made). For e.g. resistance to invasions by alien species. Therefore, stability is about maintaining a steady state after every disturbance and minimize dynamic fluctuation. Among the different factors effecting ecosystem stability, biodiversity plays a crucial role in the increased stability of the ecosystem. It must be noted that there are certain biomes and ecosystems that are less biodiverse and are still healthy like the Tundra and desert biomes. However, biodiversity is considered an important measure of ecosystem’s health and stability due to the following reasons:

• Promotes functional specialization: The diversity promotes ecological niche in the ecosystem. which ensures efficient utilisation of resources therefore maintains a consistent level of productivity.
• Increased mutualism: Further, increasing species diversity leads to an increase in interactions between species. It has a positive effect on the ecosystem because these interactions are mutually supportive and prevent other species from overgrowing and become invasive species.
• Ensure ecosystem recovery: Diversity provides for the number of alternative pathways within the system through which energy could flow. It would not allow any organism to die due to absence of food resources. Therefore, enable the ecosystem to recover from a disturbance and return to its pre-disturbed state.
• Resist alien invasion: In a diverse ecosystem, most of the functional roles are filled and it is difficult for invader species to compete with the existing niche species. Therefore, it creates resistance to invasions by alien species.
• Check population growth: Diversity in species helps to control the population. If there is diversity then there will be different modes of nutrition. This will lead to a closed food chain,which will directly control the population.

Therefore, while making efforts to enhance an ecosystem’s stability, conserving biodiversity must form a critical component of the strategy.