Digital Ecosystems, Naturally Resilient

Patterns that were invisible become clear. That authentication service everyone takes for granted? It's a keystone species, small relative to the whole but holding everything up through position. That API change that seemed straightforward? The trophic cascade emerges before it happens, showing how direct effects will amplify through levels until system behaviour nobody predicted takes shape.

Warning signs will become obvious whilst dashboards glow green. Diversity declining, three vendors becoming one. Coupling tightening, teams coordinating constantly. Skills pooling in single points of failure. Slack vanishing. These patterns predict catastrophic failure long before performance metrics catch the decline.