Habitat loss causes long extinction transients in small trophic chains

Transients in ecology are extremely important since they determine how equilibria approached. The debate on the dynamic stability of ecosystems has been largely focused equilibrium states. However, constantly changing due to climate conditions or perturbations driven by crisis anthropogenic actions (habitat destruction, deforestation, defaunation), it is study dynamics can proceed till equilibria. This article investigates and transient phenomena small food chains using mathematical models. We interested impact habitat loss with vegetation undergoing facilitation. provide a dynamical chain system given three trophic levels: primary producers, i.e., vegetation, herbivores, predators. Our models reveal pushes towards tipping points, presence herbivores habitats could promote ecosystem’s extinction (ecological meltdown), predators produce cascade effect (trophic downgrading). Mathematically, these systems exhibit many possible local bifurcations: saddle-node, transcritical, Andronov–Hopf, together global bifurcation heteroclinic bifurcation. associated transients discussed, from ghost critical slowing down tied bifurcations. work highlights increase ecological complexity levels) imply more complex transitions. shows pernicious effects (i.e., hunting pressure) not be immediate, producing delays. These theoretical results suggest possibility that some currently trapped into (extinction) their stable past.