http://www.loc.gov/mods/v3 http://www.loc.gov/standards/mods/v3/mods-3-2.xsd
Multiple stable states in natural ecosystems
1 online resource (xii, 188 pages) : illustrations
Many natural systems such as coral reefs and tropical forests are undergoing rapid changes that appear without warning and seem irreversible. This book presents a clear and concise overview of the ecological theory that has been developed to explain these sudden changes and provides a number of compelling examples. One of the most interesting and vexing problems in ecology is how distinctly different communities of plants and animals can occur in the same ecosystem. The theory of these systems, known as multiple stable states, is well understood, but whether multiple stable states actually exist in nature has remained a hotly-debated subject. Multiple Stable States in Natural Ecosystems provides a broad and synthetic critique of recent advances in theory and new experimental evidence. Modern models of systems with multiple stable states are placed in historical context. Current theories are covered in a rigourous fashion with the specific goal of identifying testable predictions about multiple stable states.
Introduction -- What theory actually tells us about multiple stable states -- Detection of multiple stable states -- Experimental evidence -- Catastrophe theory -- Hallmarks of catastrophes -- Other modeling approaches -- Four common misconceptions -- Using temporal and spatial patterns as evidence -- Where do we go from here?
Includes bibliographical references and index.
Oxford, United Kingdom : Oxford University Press, 2013