A two-dimensional numerical model is used to investigate the nonlinear dissipative interaction between a disturbance and an unbounded stratified shear flow. The disturbances considered are Kelvin-Helmholtz instabilities and forced gravity waves. The nonlinear stabilization (destabilization) of Kelvin-Helmholtz instabilities at Prandtl number,Pr< 1 (Pr> 1), found by Brownet al.(1981) is recovered. The model confirms that it is mostly due to a stabilization (destabilization) of the mean flow by the wave. The nonlinear evolution of instabilities existing when thermal dissipation is large and when the Richardson number is everywhere larger than 0.25 is also investigated. It is shown that such a mode stops growing when the nonlinear distortion of the mean flow becomes significant.