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COMPLEMENTARITY OF ECOLOGICAL GOAL FUNCTIONS
Citation:
Fath**, B. D., B. C. Patten, AND J. S. Choi. COMPLEMENTARITY OF ECOLOGICAL GOAL FUNCTIONS. Tyson, J., Wolpert, L. (ed.), JOURNAL OF THEORETICAL BIOLOGY. Academic Press, New York, NY, 208(4):493-506, (2001).
Description:
This paper summarizes, in the framework of network environ analysis, a set of analyses of energy-matter flow and storage in steady state systems. The network perspective is used to codify and unify ten ecological orientors or external principles: maximum power (Lotka), maximum storage (Jorgensen-Mejer), maximum empower and emergy (Odum), maximum ascendency (Ulanowicz), maximum dissipiation (Schneider-Kay), maximum cycling (Morowitz), maximum resistence time (Cheslak-Lamarra), minimum specific dissipation (Onsager, Prigogine), and minimum empower to exergy ratio (Bastianoni-Marchettini). We show that, seen in this framework, these seemingly disparate extrema are all mutually consistent, suggesting a common pattern for ecosystem development. This pattern unfolds in the network organization of systems.