Fig. 5. A conceptual model of resilience and alternate stable states. The system initially is in the state on the left. (A) High resilience results in a low probability of transition to the alternate state on the right. (B) Loss of resilience results in a high probability of transition to the alternate state, which once attained (C) is relatively stable because of its high resilience. As a result, there is only a low probability of returning to the first state.