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Informing ecological engineering through ecological network analysis, ecological modelling, and concepts of systems and engineering ecology

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  • Gattie, David K.
  • Kellam, Nadia N.
  • Turk, H. Jeff

Abstract

A shift in the basic philosophy of nature developed by Francis Bacon, Renè Descartes, and Isaac Newton, has been suggested but for the most part rejected within mainstream science. It suggests the need for viewing nature as a deeply organic and connected system of relationships that is not necessarily or readily submissive to reductive thinking and analysis. Ecosystem design within the construct of a field called ecological engineering poses fundamental questions with respect to the philosophy of nature upon which our current scientific paradigm is predominantly based. In an effort to foster development of rigorous, quantitative methods for developing insight into complex ecosystem phenomena we propose systems and engineering ecology—an integrated science comprised of principles from environ theory, ascendency theory, exergy theory, emergy theory, ecological network analysis and ecological modelling, synthesized through the formal agency of systems science. We contend that ecological engineering will be limited in its robustness apart from development of rigorous systems-based sciences that are quantitative and incorporate the complex, emergent properties of ecosystem. We justify our proposed framework on the philosophical paradox of transferring aspects of traditional engineering design into ecological engineering and on the four causes of Aristotle.

Suggested Citation

  • Gattie, David K. & Kellam, Nadia N. & Turk, H. Jeff, 2007. "Informing ecological engineering through ecological network analysis, ecological modelling, and concepts of systems and engineering ecology," Ecological Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 208(1), pages 25-40.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:ecomod:v:208:y:2007:i:1:p:25-40
    DOI: 10.1016/j.ecolmodel.2007.04.027
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Kenneth E. Boulding, 1956. "General Systems Theory--The Skeleton of Science," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 2(3), pages 197-208, April.
    2. Brown, M. T. & Herendeen, R. A., 1996. "Embodied energy analysis and EMERGY analysis: a comparative view," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 19(3), pages 219-235, December.
    3. Barry Richmond, 1993. "Systems thinking: Critical thinking skills for the 1990s and beyond," System Dynamics Review, System Dynamics Society, vol. 9(2), pages 113-133, June.
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    Cited by:

    1. Perz, Stephen G. & Muñoz-Carpena, Rafael & Kiker, Gregory & Holt, Robert D., 2013. "Evaluating ecological resilience with global sensitivity and uncertainty analysis," Ecological Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 263(C), pages 174-186.
    2. Liao, Wenjie & Heijungs, Reinout & Huppes, Gjalt, 2011. "Is bioethanol a sustainable energy source? An energy-, exergy-, and emergy-based thermodynamic system analysis," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 36(12), pages 3479-3487.
    3. Kyrke Gaudreau & Roydon A. Fraser & Stephen Murphy, 2012. "The Characteristics of the Exergy Reference Environment and Its Implications for Sustainability-Based Decision-Making," Energies, MDPI, vol. 5(7), pages 1-17, July.

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