Ecological stability can refer to types of stability in a continuum ranging from resilience (returning quickly to a previous state) to constancy to persistence. The precise definition depends on the ecosystem in question, the variable or variables of interest, and the overall context. In the context of conservation ecology, stable populations are often defined as ones that do not go extinct. Researchers applying mathematical models from system dynamics usually use Lyapunov stability.
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Famous quotes containing the words ecological and/or stability:
“It seems to me that there must be an ecological limit to the number of paper pushers the earth can sustain, and that human civilization will collapse when the number of, say, tax lawyers exceeds the world’s total population of farmers, weavers, fisherpersons, and pediatric nurses.”
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