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ysabetwordsmithPositive tipping points could help nature recover faster than expected
The research shows how ecosystems can cross thresholds that trigger rapid recovery, not just collapse.
These shifts, known as positive tipping points, could unlock large-scale ecological restoration.
Environments have a lot of tipping points between stable variations. One I've seen before is a pond cycle. It can be clear with lots of bass and fewer minnows, or murky with lots of minnows and fewer bass. If you're looking for tipping points that aid recovery, consider...
* What did humans do to fuck it up in the first place? Many ecological problems stem from stupid interventions like damming a river. Remove the dam or other problem, and the ecosystem will usually tip back to a healthier state.
* What keystone species and/or ecosystem engineers of plants or animals are missing? Put them back if possible, and they usually tip the ecosystem back where it should be. This one works really fast on a local scale, then spreads. We could fix much of our water woes just by restoring beavers.
* Compare current conditions to what is known of the past. For instance, trees and shrubs near waterways reduce evaporation and lower temperature. If those have been cleared, water evaporates and heats more. But if you restore the cover along the shore, then the water usually tips back to a cooler state.
* Just remove the humans. This is a positive tipping maneuver almost everywhere.
The research shows how ecosystems can cross thresholds that trigger rapid recovery, not just collapse.
These shifts, known as positive tipping points, could unlock large-scale ecological restoration.
Environments have a lot of tipping points between stable variations. One I've seen before is a pond cycle. It can be clear with lots of bass and fewer minnows, or murky with lots of minnows and fewer bass. If you're looking for tipping points that aid recovery, consider...
* What did humans do to fuck it up in the first place? Many ecological problems stem from stupid interventions like damming a river. Remove the dam or other problem, and the ecosystem will usually tip back to a healthier state.
* What keystone species and/or ecosystem engineers of plants or animals are missing? Put them back if possible, and they usually tip the ecosystem back where it should be. This one works really fast on a local scale, then spreads. We could fix much of our water woes just by restoring beavers.
* Compare current conditions to what is known of the past. For instance, trees and shrubs near waterways reduce evaporation and lower temperature. If those have been cleared, water evaporates and heats more. But if you restore the cover along the shore, then the water usually tips back to a cooler state.
* Just remove the humans. This is a positive tipping maneuver almost everywhere.
