Tip** points in complex systems may imply risks of unwanted collapse, but also
opportunities for positive change. Our capacity to navigate such risks and opportunities can …

Abrupt ecological changes are, by definition, those that occur over short periods of time
relative to typical rates of change for a given ecosystem. The potential for such changes is …

The widespread extirpation of megafauna may have destabilized ecosystems and altered
biodiversity globally. Most megafauna extinctions occurred before the modern record …

Climate change is increasing fire activity in the western United States, which has the
potential to accelerate climate-induced shifts in vegetation communities. Wildfire can …

Large mammalian herbivores (megafauna) have experienced extinctions and declines since
prehistory. Introduced megafauna have partly counteracted these losses yet are thought to …

In the vicinity of tip** points—or more precisely bifurcation points—ecosystems recover
slowly from small perturbations. Such slowness may be interpreted as a sign of low …

Many dynamical systems, including lakes, organisms, ocean circulation patterns, or financial
markets, are now thought to have tip** points where critical transitions to a contrasting …

Desertification is an escalating concern in global drylands, yet assessments to guide
management and policy responses are limited by ambiguity concerning the definition of …

STATE OF THE CLIMATE IN 2015 Page 1 Special Supplement to the Bulletin of the American
Meteorological Society Vol. 97, No. 8, August 2016 STATE OF THE CLIMATE IN 2015 Page 2 …

The 'novel ecosystem'concept has captured the attention of scientists, managers, and
science journalists, and more recently of policymakers, before it has been subjected to the …