Cyclical diagrams can be used to indicate a subject’s stages of growth, lifespan, and decline. Applicable to various topics ranging from how diseases spread to entomological progressions, cyclical diagrams allow developmental patterns to be represented concisely. The following diagrams serve to highlight how graphics showcasing evolutionary phases allow multistep processes to be dissected, outlined, and formulated into a cohesive chain of events.

Malaria Life Cycle Overview by Cognition Studio, Inc. – The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation adopted a multi-year Malaria strategy to help develop approaches aiming to eradicate the disease. For a presentation on their efforts, Cognition created the following custom graphic in order to help make their mission feel within reach. This image focuses on the overview of the Malaria lifecycle, with a subsequent image going into detail on the sporogonic cycle.

Ocean Carbon Cycle by NorArte Studios – Designed for biological research, this diagram explains how oceanic forces interact to facilitate the circulation of carbon throughout the planet. As carbon is a chemical element vital to all living things, understanding the ocean’s vital role in Earth’s carbon cycle is essential in monitoring potential climate change impacts on ocean circulation, biogeochemical cycling, and ecosystem dynamics.

Ocean carbon cycle by norarte studios

Phylloxera Life Cycle by AlbrechtGFX – Designed to explain how Phylloxera insects almost destroyed the European wine and grape industry, this diagram details how the microscopic pests feed on the roots and leaves of grapevines, resulting in root deformations and secondary fungal infections. As the lifecycle of Phylloxera is very complex and involves several stages in both the soil and on grape leaves, this cyclical diagram aids in detailing how to thoroughly eradicate the “phylloxera plague”.

Phylloxera Lifecycle AlbrechtGFX

Heartworm Life Cycle in Canines by Laurie O’Keefe – This Life Cycle explaining how Heartworm disease works shows the transmission sequence of the parasitic larvae from an infected feeding mosquito, to the migration and maturation of the roundworm through the tissues, and eventually to its infiltration of the heart and lungs of a cat or canine.

Heartworm Life cycle in Canines Laurie O' Keefe

As cycles summarize a series of events that are regularly repeated in the same order, understanding the various stages help us determine how to either enable or prevent their continued repetition. Cyclical diagrams can be used to both outline the interconnected stages of parasitic relationships or to help facilitate strategic action plans interjecting repetitive sequences, such as how to prevent malaria or how to ensure the circulation of carbon doesn’t reach detrimental levels of instability. Outlining the cyclical connections between stages of development allows a chain of events to be easily-digested, clearly outlined, and simplified through relational patterns.