Understanding Complex Ecosystem Dynamics: A Systems and Engineering Perspective

✍ Scribed by William S. Yackinous

• Publisher: Academic Press
• Year: 2015
• Tongue: English
• Leaves: 413
• Edition: 1
• Category: Library

✦ Synopsis

Understanding Complex Ecosystem Dynamics: A Systems and Engineering Perspective takes a fresh, interdisciplinary perspective on complex system dynamics, beginning with a discussion of relevant systems and engineering skills and practices, including an explanation of the systems approach and its major elements. From this perspective, the author formulates an ecosystem dynamics functionality-based framework to guide ecological investigations.

Next, because complex system theory (across many subject matter areas) is crucial to the work of this book, relevant network theory, nonlinear dynamics theory, cellular automata theory, and roughness (fractal) theory is covered in some detail. This material serves as an important resource as the book proceeds. In the context of all of the foregoing discussion and investigation, a view of the characteristics of ecological network dynamics is constructed. This view, in turn, is the basis for the central hypothesis of the book, i.e., ecological networks are ever-changing networks with propagation dynamics that are punctuated, local-to-global, and perhaps most importantly fractal. To analyze and fully test this hypothesis, an innovative ecological network dynamics model is defined, designed, and developed. The modeling approach, which seeks to emulate features of real-world ecological networks, does not make a priori assumptions about ecological network dynamics, but rather lets the dynamics develop as the model simulation runs. Model analysis results corroborate the central hypothesis. Additional important insights and principles are suggested by the model analysis results and by the other supporting investigations of this book – and can serve as a basis for going-forward complex system dynamics research, not only for ecological systems but for complex systems in general.

• Provides a fresh interdisciplinary perspective, offers a broad integrated development, and contains many new ideas
• Clearly explains the elements of the systems approach and applies them throughout the book
• Takes on the challenging and open issues of complex system network dynamics
• Develops and utilizes a new, innovative ecosystem dynamics modeling approach
• Contains over 135 graphic illustrations to help the reader visualize and understand important concepts

✦ Table of Contents

Content:
Front Matter, Pages i-ii
Copyright, Page iv
Preface, Pages ix-xii
Introduction, Pages xiii-xvii
Introduction, Page 1
Chapter 1 - A Systems Engineer’s Perspective, Pages 3-19
Chapter 2 - More Views on Systems Thinking, Pages 21-46
Chapter 3 - The Major Elements of the Systems Approach, Pages 47-63
Chapter 4 - Reductionism and Information Loss, Pages 65-79
Introduction, Page 81
Chapter 5 - Overview of an Ecological System Dynamics Framework, Pages 83-91
Chapter 6 - Regulation/Adaptation: Control Aspects of Ecological Systems, Pages 93-102
Chapter 7 - Evolution and Universal Development Concepts, Pages 103-122
Introduction, Page 123
Chapter 8 - Network Theory: The Structure of Complex Networks, Pages 125-150
Chapter 9 - Network Theory: The Dynamics of Complex Networks, Pages 151-176
Chapter 10 - Fundamentals of Nonlinear Dynamics, Pages 177-191
Chapter 11 - Cellular Automata Investigations and Emerging Complex System Principles, Pages 193-212
Chapter 12 - Fractals: The Theory of Roughness, Pages 213-231
Introduction, Page 233
Chapter 13 - Issues of Human Perception, Pages 235-251
Chapter 14 - The Nature of Order and Complexity in Ecological Systems, Pages 253-264
Chapter 15 - Characteristics of Ecological Network Dynamics, Pages 265-298
Introduction, Page 299
Chapter 16 - A New Approach to Modeling Ecological Network Dynamics, Pages 301-314
Chapter 17 - Model Software Design and Development, Pages 315-334
Chapter 18 - Ecological Network Dynamics Results, Pages 335-370
Introduction, Page 371
Chapter 19 - An Increased Understanding of Complex System Dynamics, Pages 373-385
Appendix - Selections from the Dynamics Model Programming Code, Pages 387-396
References, Pages 397-403
Index, Pages 405-416