Question

How does chaos theory tie into ecosystems?

Answer 1

best known example of chaos theory in ecology is the butterfly effect: a butterfly flaps its wings and causes a storm to form thousands of miles away.

there are other applications such as using chaos theory to predict weather, rain fall, river/stream level, wildlife population and many other complex natural behaviors.

Answer 2

chaos theory was developed to analyse many nature’s complex phenomena that seem to defy prediction. In chaotic systems, small perturbations can have large and seemingly unpredictable effects. There is the famous example of a butterfly’s flapping wings influencing the weather thousands of miles away.

it can be applied to ecosystems. Empirical dynamic modeling, which is based on chaos theory, uses sea surface temperature to help predict salmon population fluctuations.