Unifying the concepts of stability and resilience in ecology

• Published in: The Journal of ecology Vol. 109; no. 9; pp. 3114 - 3132
• Main Authors: Van Meerbeek, Koenraad, Jucker, Tommaso, Svenning, Jens‐Christian
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford Blackwell Publishing Ltd 01.09.2021
• Subjects: alternative stable states; Bibliometrics; ecological balance; Ecological research; Ecological studies; Ecologists; Ecology; Ecosystems; empirical research; Environmental changes; Environmental conditions; equilibrium; Historical account; latitude; perturbations; recovery; regime shift; resistance; Schools; Stability; tolerance
• ISSN: 0022-0477; 1365-2745
• DOI: 10.1111/1365-2745.13651

Characterizing how ecosystems are responding to rapid environmental change has become a major focus of ecological research. The empirical study of ecological stability, which aims to quantify these ecosystem responses, is therefore more relevant than ever. Based on a historical review and bibliometric mapping of the field of ecological stability, we show that the two main schools relating to the study of stability—one focusing on systems close to their equilibrium and the other on non‐equilibrium behaviour—have developed in parallel leading to divergence in both concepts and definitions. We synthesize and expand previous frameworks and capitalize on the latest developments in the field to build towards an integrated framework by elaborating the overarching concept of ecological stability and its properties. Finally, the broad applicability of our work is demonstrated in two empirical cases. Synthesis. With rapidly changing environmental conditions, the stability of ecosystems has become a major focus of ecological research. Still, the concept of stability remains a major source of confusion and disagreement among ecologists. The conceptual framework presented here provides a basis to integrate currently diverging views on the study of ecological stability. With rapidly changing environmental conditions, the stability of ecosystems has become a major focus of ecological research. Still, the concept of stability remains a major source of confusion and disagreement among ecologists. The conceptual framework presented here provides a basis to integrate currently diverging views on the study of ecological stability.