Disaster Taxa
After market disruptions, opportunistic companies that can move fast and tolerate chaos capture share before more established players recover.
During the survival phase immediately after mass extinctions (years-decades), 'disaster taxa' proliferate: opportunistic species that thrive in disturbed environments. These are r-selected generalists - fast-reproducing species with short lifespans. Following the K-Pg extinction, fern spores dominate the fossil record immediately above the impact layer ('fern spike'), indicating ferns colonized devastated landscapes before other plants.
Business Application of Disaster Taxa
After market disruptions, opportunistic companies that can move fast and tolerate chaos capture share before more established players recover. Startups often play this role after industry crashes.