The most spatially heterogeneous systems are often the least resilient

Evidence

Although factors contributing to community resilience are generally those that maintain heterogeneity of the system (e.g., maintenance of réfugia, genetic heterogeneity, and a broad population base from which to recruit the new year class), heterogeneity per se does not guarantee resilience in the face of exotic disturbances. The most heterogeneous systems are often the least resilient (e.g., tropical rain forests and coral reefs). — S. T. A. Pickett and P. S. White, eds., The Ecology of Natural Disturbance and…, 1934

Categorization

• XREF: Contra ch55’s definition of resilience - this gives the cautionary edge case where the resilient system is not the heterogeneous one.
• SEED: Angles an essay on why ‘protecting biodiversity hotspots’ may not protect resilience after regime change - rain forests and coral reefs are the least buffer-capable systems.