ABSTRACT
Stability is a model concept related to differential equations. An equilibrium point is a value of X where the rate of change, dX/dt, is zero. Stability is a property of an equilibrium point: the state returns to that equilibrium after a perturbation. A model can have several equilibrium points and each point can have different stability properties; some points can be stable and others unstable. Stability has been a topic of great interest in ecological models as a way of understanding when populations, communities, and ecosystems can remain unaltered or be sustained long term (Hallam, 1986b; Swartzman and Kaluzny, 1987).
