"If a desert annual **were to sprout all of its seeds and then experience one of these extended dry spells, all of their offspring would die**. That’s game over for their lineage. As a result, some seeds remain dormant as a way of coping with an uncertain future. "This behavior, known as bet hedging, is a risk-reduction strategy that seeks to maximize an organism’s long-term reproductive success. **It’s not about maximizing offspring in any one year, but over time**." --- **Tags** -- [[quotes]], [[risk-management]], [[long-term-thinking]], [[resilience]], **Source** -- [[20250201125729 - B - Just Keep Buying]]