title: What Do You Mean, 'Tipping Point'?
abstract: Over the past 10 years the use of the term 'tipping point' in the scientific literature has exploded. It was originally used loosely as a metaphor for the phenomenon that, beyond a certain threshold, runaway change propels a system to a new state. Although several specific mathematical definitions have since been proposed, we argue that these are too narrow and that it is better to retain the original definition.
authors: Aquatic Ecology and Water Quality Management Group, Environmental Science Department, Wageningen University, Wageningen, The Netherlands. Electronic address: egbert.vannes@wur.nl.
authors: Egbert H
authors: EH
authors: van Nes
authors: Aquatic Ecology and Water Quality Management Group, Environmental Science Department, Wageningen University, Wageningen, The Netherlands.
authors: Babak M S
authors: BMS
authors: Arani
authors: Aquatic Ecology and Water Quality Management Group, Environmental Science Department, Wageningen University, Wageningen, The Netherlands.
authors: Arie
authors: A
authors: Staal
authors: Aquatic Ecology and Water Quality Management Group, Environmental Science Department, Wageningen University, Wageningen, The Netherlands.
authors: Bregje
authors: B
authors: van der Bolt
authors: Aquatic Ecology and Water Quality Management Group, Environmental Science Department, Wageningen University, Wageningen, The Netherlands.
authors: Bernardo M
authors: BM
authors: Flores
authors: Aquatic Ecology and Water Quality Management Group, Environmental Science Department, Wageningen University, Wageningen, The Netherlands.
authors: Sebastian
authors: S
authors: Bathiany
authors: Aquatic Ecology and Water Quality Management Group, Environmental Science Department, Wageningen University, Wageningen, The Netherlands.
authors: Marten
authors: M
authors: Scheffer
mesh_terms: D004463:Ecology; D006801:Humans; D009626:Terminology as Topic
keywords: alternative stable states; basin of attraction; critical slowing down; critical transitions; resilience