Towards a Thermodynamic Theory for Ecological Systems

Download or read book Towards a Thermodynamic Theory for Ecological Systems written by S.E. Jorgensen and published by Elsevier. This book was released on 2004-07-06 with total page 388 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: INDICE: 1. Thermodynamics as a method: A problem of statistical description. 2. The laws of classical thermodynamics and their application to ecology. 3. Second and third law of thermodynamics in open systems. 4. Entropy, probability and information. 5. Work, exergy and information. 6. Stability in mathematics, thermodynamics and ecology. 7. Models of ecosystems: Thermodynamic basis and methods. I. Trophic chains. 8. Models of ecosystems: Thermodynamics basis and methods. II. Competition and trophic level. 9. Thermodynamics of ecological networks. 10. Thermodynamics of vegetation. 11. Thermodynamics of the biosphere. 12. Teleology and extreme principles. A tentative fourth law of thermodynamics. 13. Application of exergy as ecological indicator and goal function in ecological modelling.