Resilience
Big idea: Resilience is a system's ability to absorb disturbance and still keep functioning.
A resilient system can change in the short term but remain stable in the long term.
What does resilience look like?
- System is disturbed (fire, flood, disease, pollution)
- System changes temporarily
- System recovers and continues functioning
- Long-term stability is maintained
Resilient systems are dynamic, not static. Short-term change is normal.
Examples of resilient systems
- Human body fighting infection
- A forest recovering after a fire
- Predator–prey populations fluctuating but persisting
- A coral reef with high biodiversity
Resilient ecosystems may change in species numbers, but the system as a whole survives.
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Resilience and feedback
Resilient systems usually have strong negative feedback loops that counteract change.
- Negative feedback stabilises systems
- Positive feedback amplifies change
- Too much positive feedback reduces resilience
Resilience vs tipping points
When resilience is low, a system may cross a tipping point.
- Clear lake → nutrient input → algal bloom
- Forest → drought + deforestation → dieback
- Ice cover → warming → ice-free ocean
After a tipping point, the system settles into a new equilibrium.