生态系统的复杂性、集体效应与建模：形成、功能和稳定性。

Complexity, collective effects, and modeling of ecosystems: formation, function, and stability.

机构信息

Institute for Mathematical Sciences, Imperial College London, London, UK.

出版信息

Ann N Y Acad Sci. 2010 May;1195 Suppl 1:E19-26. doi: 10.1111/j.1749-6632.2009.05416.x.

DOI:10.1111/j.1749-6632.2009.05416.x

PMID:20586770

Abstract

We discuss the relevance of studying ecology within the framework of Complexity Science from a statistical mechanics approach. Ecology is concerned with understanding how systems level properties emerge out of the multitude of interactions among large numbers of components, leading to ecosystems that possess the prototypical characteristics of complex systems. We argue that statistical mechanics is at present the best methodology available to obtain a quantitative description of complex systems, and that ecology is in urgent need of "integrative" approaches that are quantitative and nonstationary. We describe examples where combining statistical mechanics and ecology has led to improved ecological modeling and, at the same time, broadened the scope of statistical mechanics.

摘要

我们从统计力学的角度讨论了在复杂性科学框架内研究生态学的相关性。生态学关注的是理解系统水平的特性如何从大量组件之间的相互作用中涌现出来，从而形成具有复杂系统典型特征的生态系统。我们认为，统计力学是目前获得复杂系统定量描述的最佳方法，而生态学迫切需要定量的和非平稳的“综合”方法。我们描述了一些例子，这些例子将统计力学和生态学结合起来，提高了生态建模的能力，同时拓宽了统计力学的范围。