Tipping Point

Biological Parallel

Coral reefs exist in two stable states: coral-dominated or algae-dominated. Overfishing removes herbivorous fish, algae grows unchecked, and at a critical threshold the reef flips—corals die, algae takes over, and the system locks into the new state. Returning fish doesn't automatically restore coral; the algae state is self-reinforcing. Tipping points mark boundaries between alternative stable states where systems reorganize fundamentally, requiring massive intervention to reverse.