Lezing | Tuesday Talks: Science Insights
Can patterns save ecosystems from collapse?
- Datum
- dinsdag 11 maart 2025
- Tijd
- Bezoekadres
-
Gorlaeus Gebouw
Einsteinweg 55
2333 CC Leiden - Zaal
- CM1.26
Tuesday Talks: Science Insights is de maandelijkse dosis onderzoeksinspiratie van Leiden Science, van onze medewerkers, voor onze medewerkers en alle andere nieuwsgierigen.
De voertaal voor deze lezingenserie is Engels
From the ripples on water to the shape of a growing tumour, patterns are everywhere in nature. But did you know that pattern formation could be the key to ecosystem resilience? As climate change pushes ecosystems toward tipping points—where a small shift may lead to catastrophic collapse—mathematical models reveal a surprising escape route. Could patterns help drylands resist desertification? And what do these escape routes tell us about the Dutch river system or even invasive tumours?
Join us for this Tuesday Talk, where together with Arjen Doelman we will explore the intersection of mathematics, ecology, and resilience. Discover how patterns might just be nature’s secret weapon against collapse!
Join this edition of Tuesday Talks: Science Insights!
Everyone who is interested in this edition's topic is welcome. Please let us know if you are attending.
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The programme of the Tuesday Talks: Science Insights is:
| 15.30 hrs | Take a seat |
| 16.00 hrs | Tuesday Talks: Science Insights |
| 17.00 hrs | Drinks |
Understanding tipping points
Resilience is an ecosystem’s ability to adapt to change. When an ecosystem lacks resilience, even a small disturbance—like reduced rainfall—could trigger a chain reaction, leading to total collapse. Drylands, for example, may transform into deserts when pushed past a critical threshold, a phenomenon known as a "tipping point." Similar tipping points are predicted to exist in many climate systems, such as ocean currents, melting ice sheets, and forests, making them crucial to understanding the effects of climate change.
Patterns as a pathway to resilience
Working with ecologist Max Rietkerk and his team, Doelman discovered that pattern formation can help ecosystems avoid collapse. While tipping points force systems into a few distinct states, patterned systems have more flexibility. Like water waves that shift but remain stable, ecosystems with patterns can follow a "pathway of resilience," adapting instead of breaking down.
About the speaker
Arjen Doelman is a professor at the Mathematical Institute of Leiden University. His research focuses on the mathematics of pattern formation and its applications in fields such as ecology, oceanography, oncology, and geophysics. By bridging disciplines, he uncovers new mathematical insights that help explain complex natural systems.
About Tuesday Talks: Science Insights
Tuesday Talks: Science Insights is Leiden Science’s monthly dose of research inspiration from our staff, for our staff and all others curious minds. Every second Tuesday of the month from 16:00 hrs till 17:00 hrs, drinks and meet up afterwards till 18.00 hrs.