Understanding the complexity of economic, ecological, and social systems

Hierarchies and adaptive cycles comprise the basis
of ecosystems and social-ecological systems across
scales. Together they form a panarchy. The panarchy
describes how a healthy system can invent and
experiment, benefiting from inventions that create
opportunity while being kept safe from those that
destabilize because of their nature or excessive exuberance.
Each level is allowed to operate at its own
pace, protected from above by slower, larger levels
but invigorated from below by faster, smaller cycles
of innovation. The whole panarchy is therefore
both creative and conserving.