What concept refers to systems needing to change to maintain stability?

The concept that refers to systems needing to change in order to maintain stability is homeostasis. Homeostasis is the process by which systems, whether biological, ecological, or organizational, actively regulate their internal environment to achieve stability despite external changes. This involves various feedback mechanisms that help to keep systems functioning optimally. For instance, in a biological context, organisms maintain their internal temperature, pH levels, and other vital conditions through adaptive changes in response to fluctuations in their environment.

This is distinct from other concepts such as closed system dynamics, which focuses on systems that do not exchange matter or energy with their environment and therefore do not adapt to external changes. Morphogenesis relates to the development of structure and form, particularly in biological organisms, rather than maintaining stability. Static equilibrium describes a state where no changes occur, which contradicts the idea of needing to adapt to maintain stability. Thus, homeostasis properly encapsulates the idea of systems actively adjusting to sustain balance in response to varying conditions.