Scientists pioneer method to predict environmental collapse
Monday, November 19, 2012 - 22:31
in Earth & Climate
Scientists are pioneering a technique to predict when an ecosystem is likely to collapse, which may also have potential for foretelling crises in agriculture, fisheries or even social systems. The researchers have applied a mathematical model to a real world situation, the environmental collapse of a lake in China, to help prove a theory which suggests an ecosystem 'flickers,' or fluctuates dramatically between healthy and unhealthy states, shortly before its eventual collapse.