The article "Compounded Perturbations Yield Ecological Surprises" by Robert T. Paine, Mia J. Tegner, and Edward A. Johnson explores the impact of compounded disturbances on ecological systems. The authors argue that while single, large disturbances (LIDs) like storms, volcanic eruptions, and forest fires can reset ecosystems to their baseline state, multiple disturbances within the typical recovery time of the community can lead to more serious ecological consequences. They consider both physical and biological disturbances, such as overharvesting, invasion, and disease, and their interactions. The key metrics for scaling the size and frequency of disturbances are dispersal capability and generation time or age to first reproduction. The authors develop six scenarios to describe communities that have been subjected to multiple disturbances, either simultaneously or at a rate faster than the community's recovery rate, leading to new ecological states or "ecological surprises." They argue that with increasing anthropogenic impacts and global changes, compounded perturbations and ecological surprises will become more common, and understanding these synergisms is crucial for environmental management in the 21st century. The article provides examples from various ecosystems, including kelp forests, San Francisco Bay, boreal forests, coral reefs, and the Gulf of Mexico, to illustrate the impacts of compounded disturbances.The article "Compounded Perturbations Yield Ecological Surprises" by Robert T. Paine, Mia J. Tegner, and Edward A. Johnson explores the impact of compounded disturbances on ecological systems. The authors argue that while single, large disturbances (LIDs) like storms, volcanic eruptions, and forest fires can reset ecosystems to their baseline state, multiple disturbances within the typical recovery time of the community can lead to more serious ecological consequences. They consider both physical and biological disturbances, such as overharvesting, invasion, and disease, and their interactions. The key metrics for scaling the size and frequency of disturbances are dispersal capability and generation time or age to first reproduction. The authors develop six scenarios to describe communities that have been subjected to multiple disturbances, either simultaneously or at a rate faster than the community's recovery rate, leading to new ecological states or "ecological surprises." They argue that with increasing anthropogenic impacts and global changes, compounded perturbations and ecological surprises will become more common, and understanding these synergisms is crucial for environmental management in the 21st century. The article provides examples from various ecosystems, including kelp forests, San Francisco Bay, boreal forests, coral reefs, and the Gulf of Mexico, to illustrate the impacts of compounded disturbances.