Ecodynamics: The Prigogine LegacyC. A. Brebbia This book contains a series of contributions on ecodynamics that apeared in limited editions before the emergence of the 'International Journal of Design & Nature and Ecodynamics', which has now become the primary focus for this area of research. It is dedicated to Ilya Prigogine, who dominated the world of ecosystems for many years, and opens with an extract from the autobiography he completed shortly before his death. |
Contents
Towards a thermodynamics of biological systems | 1 |
Is entropy far from equilibrium a state function? | 21 |
a prescription for adaptive evolution from ecological network theory | 33 |
Ecosystems becoming | 45 |
A common framework for emergy and exergy based LCA in accordance with environ theory | 57 |
A nonthermodynamic constraint to trophic transfer efficiency based on network utility analysis | 73 |
a reconciliation of H T Odum with Prigogine? | 89 |
Sustaining our commonwealth of nature and knowledge | 99 |
Cascading thresholds to heteroclinicity in an ecosystem model | 185 |
social patterns and organization in urban systems | 193 |
a critical review of applications of thermodynamic methods to urban systems | 203 |
from strategies to cases generation of fractal grammar for reusing building elements | 213 |
sustainable communities and cities in context | 233 |
An exploration of the mathematics behind the ecological footprint | 249 |
The ecocostsvalue ratio a tool to determine the longterm strategy of delinking economy and environmental ecology | 257 |
Extreme events in nature a challenge for the understanding of complex dynamics | 271 |
The character of earth history | 109 |
Thermodynamics information and complexity in artificial and living systems | 119 |
determination of interaction types between organisms in ecosystems | 129 |
a transactional worldview | 139 |
The origins of irreversibility | 151 |
Reversibility in science and in engineering | 157 |
The nature of spontaneitydriven processes | 165 |
why do novelties emerge? | 179 |
two different paradigms for the phenomenon of biological evolution | 285 |
Monitoring of movement behaviors of chironomid larvae after exposure to diazinon using fractal dimension and selforganizing map | 299 |
exploring and understanding variability in the lagoon of Venice | 311 |
the BelousovZhabotinsky reaction in lipid membranes | 321 |
With arsenic on the Etruscans footprints | 331 |
Steps towards an evolutionary medicine | 335 |
| 341 | |
Common terms and phrases
analysis applied approach autocatalysis basic behavior biocapacity biological biomass building calculated chemical cities complex systems components concept configuration considered construction cycle determined deterministic diazinon dissipative structures dynamics earth eco-costs eco-exergy Ecodynamics ecological footprint Ecological Modelling elements emergy flow energy entropy production environment environmental equations equilibrium evolution evolutionary example exergy extreme events Figure fluxes food chain fractal dimension function global hectares hectares heteroclinic cycle human Ilya Prigogine increase indicator industrial ecology input integral interactions irreversible Jørgensen lipid living systems macroscopic material maximum mechanics microstates movement tracks nature negentropy observed Odum organisms parameters parametric determination patterns phenomena physical possible prediction Prigogine Prigogine’s principle problem properties ratio relations reversible-like processes scale scale-linking second law self-organization solar spatial species spontaneity subcluster sustainable theoretical thermodynamic equilibrium thermodynamics Tiezzi transfer efficiencies University of Siena urban utility Wicked problems