Ecology, the Ascendent Perspective: Robert E. UlanowiczColumbia University Press, 1997 - 201 pagina's Ecology, Ulanowicz argues, needs a more robust central paradigm, and this book presents one derived from current work in information theory, ecosystem energetics, and complexity theory; the result is a theoretical and empirical tool kit better able to measure the developmental status of any living community. Ranging widely to explore critical issues in the history of science--order, causality, progress, laws--Ulanowicz sets forth a coherent theoretical framework for ecology. He demonstrates that mechanical models can capture behavior of relatively simple, isolated populations, but fail to explain the rich, complex, and sometimes unpredictable mix of order and disorder that characterizes larger systems. A challenge to existing Newtonian and Darwinian paradigms, this book suggests ways to bring ecology from the fringes to the center of science. |
Inhoudsopgave
Ecology the Exceptional Science | 1 |
2 | 17 |
5 | 24 |
8 | 33 |
The Emergence of Order | 36 |
4569 | 40 |
Quantifying Growth and Development | 56 |
14 | 61 |
Extending Ascendency | 96 |
Other Members of the Elephant | 104 |
Practical Applications | 120 |
The Ascendent Worldview | 144 |
167 | |
176 | |
179 | |
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Veelvoorkomende woorden en zinsdelen
activity agency appear autocatalytic become behavior biomass carbon causality cause chaos chaos theory Chesapeake Bay compartment complexity components conditional probabilities configuration connections conservation constraints cycle dency Depew deterministic development capacity dissipation dynamics ecologists ecology ecosys ecosystem effects efficient elements energy entropy estimate eutrophication example exergy feedback figure flow networks focal level forces formal function growth Holling's identify indeterminacy indirect mutualism information indices information theory inputs interactions living systems logarithm magnitude material measure mechanical mesozooplankton microscopic microzooplankton mutual information nature neural Newton Newtonian nitrogen node nutrient observation occur Odum organization overhead particular pathways periphyton perspective perturbations phenomena phosphorus physical phytoplankton Popper population Prigogine processes propensities quantify quantum redundancy relative remain represent result scale scenario second law senescence spatial species striped bass structure system ascendency tems thermodynamic equilibrium thermodynamics tion total system throughput trajectory trophic pyramids Ulanowicz Utricularia variables zooplankton