1. Ecological Tipping Points
“An ecological threshold is the point at which a relatively small change in external conditions causes a rapid change in an ecosystem.”
©Darragh Doyle
Voice over by Aaron Hickey

2. Causes of tipping points
Trophic cascades
Climate change
Habitat loss

3. Trophic Cascades X X X X X X

4. Climate change
CO2 pH ⁰C

5. Habitat Destruction: Knock On Effects

6. Environmental and anthropogenic Implications:

7. Existing research

8. Other examples of potential Global ecological tipping points
Amazon Rainforest
Boreal Forest
West Atlantic Ice Sheet
Greenland Ice Sheet
Arctic Sea Ice
Thermohaline Circulation
Other examples of potential Global ecological tipping points
West African Monsoon
The Himalayas
Indian Summer Monsoon
Permafrost
El Nino
Southwest American Drought

9. Bibliography
Cury, P.M., Boyd, I.L., Bonhommeau, S., Anker-Nilssen, T., Crawford, R.J.M., Furness, R.W., Mills, J.A., Murphy, E.J., Oesterblom, H., Paleczny, M., Piatt, J.F., Roux, J.-P., Shannon, L., & Sydeman, W.J. (2011). Global Seabird Response to Forage Fish Depletion-One-Third for the Birds. Science 334(6063),
Encyclopedia Britannica, (2015). trophic cascade | ecology. [online] Available at: [Accessed 19 Nov. 2015].
Ferraro, K Global Coral ‘bleaching threatens reef survival. Medill news service. Available at: [Accessed 21/11/2016]
Klappenbach, and Klappenbach, L. (2015). Habitat Loss, Fragmentation, and Destruction. [online] About.com Education. Available at: [Accessed 19 Nov. 2015].
Lenton, T.M., Early warning of climate tipping points. Nature Climate Change, 1(4), pp.201–209. Available at:
Möllmann, C. & Diekmann, R., Marine Ecosystem Regime Shifts Induced by Climate and Overfishing. A Review for the Northern Hemisphere,
Nature Education, (2015). Schematic of a three-level trophic cascade.. [image] Available at: [Accessed 19 Nov ].
NOAA US Depaartment of Commerce. Available at: [Accessed 18/11/2016]

10. Recommended Reading
DUARTE, C. M., AGUSTI, S., WASSMANN, P., ARRIETA, J. M., ALCARAZ, M., COELLO, A., MARBA, N., HENDRIKS, I. E., HOLDING, J., GARCIA-ZARANDONA, I., KRITZBERG, E. & VAQUE, D Tipping Elements in the Arctic Marine Ecosystem. Ambio, 41,
ESLAMI-ANDERGOLI, L., DALE, P. E. R., KNIGHT, J. M. & MCCALLUM, H Approaching tipping points: a focused review of indicators and relevance to managing intertidal ecosystems. Wetlands Ecology and Management, 23,
HORAN, R. D., FENICHEL, E. P., DRURY, K. L. S. & LODGE, D. M Managing ecological thresholds in coupled environmental-human systems. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, 108,
HUNTINGTON, H. P., GOODSTEIN, E. & EUSKIRCHEN, E Towards a Tipping Point in Responding to Change: Rising Costs, Fewer Options for Arctic and Global Societies. Ambio, 41,
LENTON, T. M Early warning of climate tipping points. Nature Climate Change, 1,
Cury, P.M., Boyd, I.L., Bonhommeau, S., Anker-Nilssen, T., Crawford, R.J.M., Furness, R.W., Mills, J.A., Murphy, E.J., Oesterblom, H., Paleczny, M., Piatt, J.F., Roux, J.-P., Shannon, L., & Sydeman, W.J. (2011). Global Seabird Response to Forage Fish Depletion-One-Third for the Birds. Science 334(6063),