Predicting collapse of complex ecological systems: quantifying the stability-complexity continuum.

ABSTRACT: Dynamical shifts between the extremes of stability and collapse are hallmarks of ecological systems. These shifts are limited by and change with biodiversity, complexity, and the topology and hierarchy of interactions. Most ecological research has focused on identifying conditions for a system to shift from stability to any degree of instability-species abundances do not return to exact same values after perturbation. Real ecosystems likely have a continuum of shifting between stability and collapse that depends on the specifics of how the interactions are structured, as well as the type and degree of disturbance due to environmental change. Here we map boundaries for the extremes of strict stability and collapse. In between these boundaries, we find an intermediate regime that consists of

SUBMITTER: Pettersson S 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7276551 | biostudies-literature | 2020 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature