Multistability
The coexistence of several stable states available to one system under identical conditions.
Why it matters now
It means history matters: where a system is depends on where it has been, not only on present conditions. This is why simply restoring past conditions does not always restore a past state, and why restoration must often be active. It also means a better state usually remains available, which is the encouraging half.
Where this is happening on Earth
- AfricaSahara green and desert states across orbital cyclesThe same region has held both dense vegetation and desert under similar insolation.
- EuropeAtlantic overturning circulation strengthPalaeoclimate evidence for more than one stable circulation mode, now under close watch.
- AsiaPeatland wet and drained states in IndonesiaDrained peat will not rewet passively; active blocking of canals is required.
- North AmericaPrairie and woody encroachment states in the Great PlainsFire suppression moved grassland into a shrub state that persists without intervention.
- OceaniaSeagrass and bare sediment states in Shark Bay, AustraliaAfter a marine heatwave, meadows did not return without deliberate replanting.
The idea itself
The encyclopedia entry first, then live searches at journals and magazines that keep returning current work on this specific idea.
Current reporting from around the world
Standing feeds at reputable periodicals. These stay fresh on their own, which is why they are here instead of a list of articles that would be out of date within a season.