Commons frequently constitute specific small-scale refugia and support survival of certain biota. Common pool resources contribute significantly to enhancing the patchiness of landscapes and thereby play an important role in sustaining diversity of species. Consequently, at a broader level of the habitat, common pool resources provide stability to and enhance the resilience of biophysical communities during disturbances. So also, the nature of interactions between people’s institutions and patterns of resource use also influence the resilience of ecosystems.