Flywheel Effect

Biological Parallel

Flywheels are positive feedback loops: each success makes the next easier. Mast seeding in oak forests works this way—synchronized acorn production overwhelms predators (squirrels, jays), ensuring more seeds survive to germinate, producing more synchronized trees, amplifying future masts. Once the flywheel spins, momentum becomes self-reinforcing. But flywheels can spin in reverse: population crashes trigger Allee effects where small populations can't find mates or defend territories, accelerating decline. Momentum compounds in both directions.