An informational synthesis of ecosystem structure and function

摘要: Abstract The mechanistic view of ecosystem dynamics, being inherently reversible, seems ill-suited to describe directional behavior, such as succession. A more conservative approach, one that involves probabilities, warranted. Work involving conditional probabilities has led the development a systems property called ascendency, increase which appears incorporate many changes characterize successional process. Ascendency originally was formulated entirely in terms transactions. Hence, it did not address crux system is connection between stocks taxa and trophic flows these populations. One may, however, expand definition ascendency perfectly natural consistent way include compartmental biomasses. principle increasing recast new definition, provides whole-system context for hitherto unexplained elements traditional ecology. For example, allometric trend during succession towards larger organisms with slower turnover times time-honored ‘Liebig's law minimum’ both can be derived from revised principle. Furthermore, same derivational techniques provide us an criterion identifying limiting nutrient linkages within ecosystem. Such theoretical ‘prediction’ might augur beginnings robust ecology