APAD:Oaks may fall when reeds stand the storm.

Oaks may fall when reeds stand the storm.

Those who are flexible and relatively insignificant can survive a crisis that brings down powerful who are unable or unwilling to adapt.

Example: In mass extinction events such as the one in which dinosaurs became extinct, large animals, which need plenty of food, go extinct first. Oaks may fall when reeds stand the storm.