Background: The potential for abrupt transitions in ecosystem processes may increase as climate change continues to accelerate1,2. While this trend is of great concern, our understanding of how to identify when and why abrupt transitions occur has been informed almost exclusively by theory. In order to enhance the prediction and management of these changes for different ecosystems, Bestelmeyer et al.3 developed a systematic approach for identifying the occurrence of transitions, the leading indicators, and the underlying mechanisms. Their analyses revealed that the choice of the leading indicator (the biological response used to detect the transitions, e.g. the abundance of a particular species) generates many limitations. For example, using species abundance may restrict our ability to detect non-linear ecosystem transitions.
Top Stories
Gradient of Soil Fertilization Helps Tundra Shrubs Expand Across the Arctic
Oceanography’s Rhythm: The Cadence of Life Aboard the RV Revelle
Welcome to the Woods: New Beginnings in New Hampshire
There’s always a chance something amazing will happen
Unintentional Oasis – An Accidental Urban Wetland in the Sonoran Desert
Grassland birds show resilience in the face of drought
Positive effect of fiddler crabs on saltmarsh grass reverses in expanded range
Adelie penguins go hungry as climate change limits their prey
Importance and Unanticipated Use of Biological Collections in Long-Term Ecological Research
Announcing ltertools: An R Package By and For the LTER Community