Dynamic stability: Empirical measurements and their insights

Background/Question/Methods

The strictest definition of ecosystem stability is formulated in terms of a static equilibrium. However, it is also possible to talk about stability in the context of dynamic or non-equilibrium ecosystems. While this concept is hardly new, recent innovations in extracting empirical dynamics from time series give a new opportunity to examine the dynamic stability of real ecosystems, from marine fish communities to grassland vegetation.

Results/Conclusions

In addition to explicating this promising new approach, we will present two case examples—one marine and one terrestrial—that showcase how measuring dynamic stability sheds light on the relationship between stability and complexity, resilience, and regime changes.