Book ChapterDOI
Thermodynamics and Measures of Ecological Integrity
James J. Kay,Eric D. Schneider +1 more
- pp 159-182
TLDR
In this paper, the authors have studied the organization of ecosystems using complex systems theory, and in particular non-equilibrium thermodynamics, leading to a set of hypotheses concerning the organizational development of ecosystems.Abstract:
Over the past decade, the authors have studied the organization of ecosystems using complex systems theory, and in particular non-equilibrium thermodynamics. This study has led to a set of hypotheses concerning the organizational development of ecosystems, a thermodynamic framework for discussing ecosystem integrity, and a set of measures that reflect ecosystem organization and aid in the assessment of the impact of environmental change. These are presented herein.read more
Citations
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Journal ArticleDOI
Selecting indicator species to monitor ecological integrity: a review.
TL;DR: Although the use of indicator species remains contentious, it can be useful if many species representing various taxa and lifehistories are included in the monitoring program and caution is applied when interpreting their population trends to distinguish actual signals from variations that may be unrelated to the deterioration of ecological integrity.
Journal ArticleDOI
An ecosystem approach for sustainability: addressing the challenge of complexity
TL;DR: This work portrays these systems as Self-Organizing Holarchic Open (SOHO) systems and interpret their behaviours and structures with reference to non-equilibrium thermodynamics: holons, propensities and canons; and information and attractors.
Journal ArticleDOI
Ecosystems emerging:: 4. growth
TL;DR: In this article, the authors treat the properties of ecosystem growth and development from the perspective of open, nonequilibrium, thermodynamic systems, and interpret results for living ecosystems based on parallels between these and the much simpler nonliving ones treated rigorously in thermodynamic theory.
Book
A New Ecology: Systems Perspective
TL;DR: This book presents an overview of the systems-based, thermodynamic properties that underpin this natural growth and development, and explains the underlying ecosystem properties that can explain the environment's response to natural perturbations and human interventions.
References
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Book
Fundamentals of ecology
TL;DR: This book discusses the role of energy in Ecological Systems, its role in ecosystem development, and its implications for future generations of ecologists.
Journal ArticleDOI
Amazon Deforestation and Climate Change
TL;DR: A coupled numerical model of the global atmosphere and biosphere has been used to assess the effects of Amazon deforestation on the regional and global climate; there was a significant increase in surface temperature and a decrease in evapotranspiration and precipitation over Amazonia.
Journal ArticleDOI
Thermodynamics of evolution
TL;DR: The physicochemical basis of biological order is a puzzling problem that has occupied whole generations of biologists and physicists and has given rise, in the it, to passionate discussions.
Journal ArticleDOI
An hypothesis on the development of natural communities.
TL;DR: The postulate permits the definition of a non-conservative, macroscopic variable quantifying the ascendency of a natural community, which possibly provides a caricature of development phenomena common to ecosystems, organisms, economic communities, evolution, and a host of other self-organizing phenomena.