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Similar term(s): non-linear change.
Definition:
A non-linear change is a change that is not based on a simple proportional
relationship between cause and effect. Therefore, such changes are often abrupt,
unexpected, and difficult to predict.
Source & ©: GreenFacts
More:
A relationship or process in which a small change in the value of a driver
(i.e., an independent variable) produces a disproportionate change in the
outcome (i.e., the dependent variable).
Relationships where there is a sudden discontinuity or change in rate are
sometimes referred to as abrupt and often form the basis of thresholds. In loose
terms, they may lead to unexpected outcomes or “surprises”.
Source & ©:
Millennium Ecosystem Assessment
MA Glossary 
Related words: Drivers - Ecological surprises - Ecosystem change - Threshold (in an ecosystem) To read about this term in context: GreenFacts Digest on Ecosystem Change:
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