A healthy ecosystem means much more than simply having a high biodiversity level or successfully protecting a few endangered species. Ecosystems themselves display numerous characteristics, such as nutrient and water cycling, landscape level successional patterns, and wildlife population cycles. While the image of a "balanced" ecosystem is somewhat misleading in its simplicity, healthy systems do tend to exhibit a state of dynamic equilibrium. They exist within given parameters, and usually have the capacity to recover from severe disturbances or catastrophes. Healthy ecosystems also provide numerous services, such as erosion control, improved soil fertility, and clean water, to their human members. This section focuses on providing an assessment of these big picture issues, synthesizing the available information to judge the San Miguel basin's overall health and suggesting ways to improve it.