Ecosystems Regime Shifts

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In this video we will be discussing the topic of nonlinear regime shifts within ecosystems, looking at how they can flip from one qualitatively different state to another within short periods of time. We talk about bistability as a set of alternative stable states or equilibria that ecosystems can exist under at any given time, representing some set of unique biotic and abiotic conditions. We will look at path dependency and hysteresis within this process, where the point at which the system flips from one regime to another is different from the point at which the system flips back. We see how tipping points are a key part of this dynamic representing a point at which there is an abrupt change in an ecosystem's properties and functionality due to runaway feedback. Finally we will talk about resiliency and early warning signals that might help in identifying when an ecosystem is approaching a critical point by probing the speed at which it returns to a stable constant after some intervention.

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