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TOWARD A THEORY OF SUSTAINABLE SYSTEMS
Citation:
Cabezas*, H C. AND B. D. Fath**. TOWARD A THEORY OF SUSTAINABLE SYSTEMS. Nakanishi, K., Yasukiko, A., Miyano, Y. (ed.), FLUID PHASE EQUILIBRIA. Elsevier Science BV, Amsterdam, Netherlands, 194-197:3-14, (2002).
Description:
While there is tremendous interest in the topic of sustainability, a fundamental theory of sustainability does not exist. We present our efforts at constructing such a theory starting with Information Theory and ecological models. We discuss the state of complex sustainable systems that incorporate ecological and other components in terms of dynamic behavior in a phase space defined by the system state variables. From sampling the system trajectory, a distribution function for the probability of observing the system in a given state is constructed, and an expresion for the Fisher Information is derived. Fisher Information is athe maximum amount of information that is available from a set of observations such that low variability leads to high Fisher Information and high variability leads to low Fisher Information. Systems existing in stable dynamic states have constant Fisher Information. Systems losing organization migrate toward higher variability and lose Fisher Information. Self-organizing systems decrease their variability and acquire Fisher Information. These considerations lead us to propose a Systainability Hypothesis which states that "Sustainable Systems do not lose or gain Fisher Information over time." We illustrate these concepts using simulated ecological model systems in generally stable and unstable states, and we discuss the underlying dynamics of the stability and instability.