IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/eee/ecomod/v222y2011i14p2393-2403.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Reconnecting environs to their environment

Author

Listed:
  • Borrett, S.R.
  • Freeze, M.A.

Abstract

Environment is an ecologically important but often ill-defined concept. Environs are an operationalization of environments that let us study their organization and activity. Specifically, environs are the directed (input and output), within-system environments of species (or more generally holons) in ecosystems. Scientists primarily study environs through Network Environ Analysis (NEA). Quantifying general environ properties was an important step in the development of NEA. However, some of the standard NEA whole-system indicator calculations contain a hidden assumption that every system component has a unit input (output). While this can facilitate within system analysis, the even distribution assumption of inputs or outputs is unlikely to be true in many systems. Importantly, it also decouples the environ properties from the influence of the external system environment. We contend that for many applications we should use the observed or realized inputs (outputs) in the NEA calculations rather than the unit vector. We illustrate the effect of the alternative formulations for the ratio of indirect-to-direct flows, network homogenization, and network aggradation in 50 trophically based ecosystem models. Our results reveal that while the unit and realized indicators tend to be well correlated, the qualitative interpretations can be affected. We generalize these specific results by analytically investigating the sensitivity of the ratio of indirect to direct flows (I/D) to variation in the input distribution. We provide sufficient conditions on the direct flow intensity matrix G for which the computed value of I/D is less than unity for arbitrary input, as well as sufficient conditions on G for which the computed value I/D is larger than unity for arbitrary input. These results suggest that different formulations for the environ properties can alter the qualitative assessment of the ecosystem organization. We conclude that the realized formulation reconnects the environ properties to the system environment, producing a more internally consistent and applicable theory of environment.

Suggested Citation

  • Borrett, S.R. & Freeze, M.A., 2011. "Reconnecting environs to their environment," Ecological Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 222(14), pages 2393-2403.
  • Handle: RePEc:eee:ecomod:v:222:y:2011:i:14:p:2393-2403
    DOI: 10.1016/j.ecolmodel.2010.10.015
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0304380010005752
    Download Restriction: Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only

    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1016/j.ecolmodel.2010.10.015?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Borrett, S.R. & Salas, A.K., 2010. "Evidence for resource homogenization in 50 trophic ecosystem networks," Ecological Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 221(13), pages 1710-1716.
    2. Borrett, Stuart R. & Osidele, Olufemi O., 2007. "Environ indicator sensitivity to flux uncertainty in a phosphorus model of Lake Sidney Lanier, USA," Ecological Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 200(3), pages 371-383.
    3. Whipple, Stuart J. & Borrett, Stuart R. & Patten, Bernard C. & Gattie, David K. & Schramski, John R. & Bata, Seth A., 2007. "Indirect effects and distributed control in ecosystems: Comparative network environ analysis of a seven-compartment model of nitrogen flow in the Neuse River estuary, USA—Time series analysis," Ecological Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 206(1), pages 1-17.
    4. Matthew D. Holland & Alan Hastings, 2008. "Strong effect of dispersal network structure on ecological dynamics," Nature, Nature, vol. 456(7223), pages 792-794, December.
    5. Fath, Brian D. & Scharler, Ursula M. & Ulanowicz, Robert E. & Hannon, Bruce, 2007. "Ecological network analysis: network construction," Ecological Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 208(1), pages 49-55.
    6. Shevtsov, Jane & Kazanci, Caner & Patten, Bernard C., 2009. "Dynamic environ analysis of compartmental systems: A computational approach," Ecological Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 220(22), pages 3219-3224.
    7. Miehls, Andrea L. Jaeger & Mason, Doran M. & Frank, Kenneth A. & Krause, Ann E. & Peacor, Scott D. & Taylor, William W., 2009. "Invasive species impacts on ecosystem structure and function: A comparison of the Bay of Quinte, Canada, and Oneida Lake, USA, before and after zebra mussel invasion," Ecological Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 220(22), pages 3182-3193.
    8. Miehls, Andrea L. Jaeger & Mason, Doran M. & Frank, Kenneth A. & Krause, Ann E. & Peacor, Scott D. & Taylor, William W., 2009. "Invasive species impacts on ecosystem structure and function: A comparison of Oneida Lake, New York, USA, before and after zebra mussel invasion," Ecological Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 220(22), pages 3194-3209.
    9. Richard J. Williams & Neo D. Martinez, 2000. "Simple rules yield complex food webs," Nature, Nature, vol. 404(6774), pages 180-183, March.
    10. Schramski, J.R. & Gattie, D.K. & Patten, B.C. & Borrett, S.R. & Fath, B.D. & Whipple, S.J., 2007. "Indirect effects and distributed control in ecosystems: Distributed control in the environ networks of a seven-compartment model of nitrogen flow in the Neuse River Estuary, USA—Time series analysis," Ecological Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 206(1), pages 18-30.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Hines, David E. & Borrett, Stuart R., 2014. "A comparison of network, neighborhood, and node levels of analyses in two models of nitrogen cycling in the Cape Fear River Estuary," Ecological Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 293(C), pages 210-220.
    2. Whipple, Stuart J. & Patten, Bernard C. & Borrett, Stuart R., 2014. "Indirect effects and distributed control in ecosystems," Ecological Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 293(C), pages 161-186.
    3. Borrett, S.R. & Freeze, M.A. & Salas, A.K., 2011. "Equivalence of the realized input and output oriented indirect effects metrics in Ecological Network Analysis," Ecological Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 222(13), pages 2142-2148.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Borrett, S.R. & Salas, A.K., 2010. "Evidence for resource homogenization in 50 trophic ecosystem networks," Ecological Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 221(13), pages 1710-1716.
    2. Borrett, S.R. & Freeze, M.A. & Salas, A.K., 2011. "Equivalence of the realized input and output oriented indirect effects metrics in Ecological Network Analysis," Ecological Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 222(13), pages 2142-2148.
    3. Salas, Andria K. & Borrett, Stuart R., 2011. "Evidence for the dominance of indirect effects in 50 trophic ecosystem networks," Ecological Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 222(5), pages 1192-1204.
    4. Borrett, Stuart R. & Sheble, Laura & Moody, James & Anway, Evan C., 2018. "Bibliometric review of ecological network analysis: 2010–2016," Ecological Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 382(C), pages 63-82.
    5. Borrett, Stuart R. & Moody, James & Edelmann, Achim, 2014. "The rise of Network Ecology: Maps of the topic diversity and scientific collaboration," Ecological Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 293(C), pages 111-127.
    6. Schaubroeck, Thomas & Staelens, Jeroen & Verheyen, Kris & Muys, Bart & Dewulf, Jo, 2012. "Improved ecological network analysis for environmental sustainability assessment; a case study on a forest ecosystem," Ecological Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 247(C), pages 144-156.
    7. Hines, David E. & Borrett, Stuart R., 2014. "A comparison of network, neighborhood, and node levels of analyses in two models of nitrogen cycling in the Cape Fear River Estuary," Ecological Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 293(C), pages 210-220.
    8. Duan, Cuncun & Chen, Bin & Feng, Kuishuang & Liu, Zhu & Hayat, Tasawar & Alsaedi, Ahmed & Ahmad, Bashir, 2018. "Interregional carbon flows of China," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 227(C), pages 342-352.
    9. Lu, Jingzhao & Lu, Hongwei & Wang, Weipeng & Feng, SanSan & Lei, Kaiwen, 2021. "Ecological risk assessment of heavy metal contamination of mining area soil based on land type changes: An information network environ analysis," Ecological Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 455(C).
    10. Whipple, Stuart J. & Patten, Bernard C. & Borrett, Stuart R., 2014. "Indirect effects and distributed control in ecosystems," Ecological Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 293(C), pages 161-186.
    11. Patten, Bernard C., 2016. "The cardinal hypotheses of Holoecology," Ecological Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 319(C), pages 63-111.
    12. Min, Yong & Jin, Xiaogang & Chang, Jie & Peng, Changhui & Gu, Baojing & Ge, Ying & Zhong, Yang, 2011. "Weak indirect effects inherent to nitrogen biogeochemical cycling within anthropogenic ecosystems: A network environ analysis," Ecological Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 222(17), pages 3277-3284.
    13. Mao, Xufeng & Yang, Zhifeng, 2011. "Functional assessment of interconnected aquatic ecosystems in the Baiyangdian Basin—An ecological-network-analysis based approach," Ecological Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 222(23), pages 3811-3820.
    14. Colvin, Michael E. & Pierce, Clay L. & Stewart, Timothy W., 2015. "A food web modeling analysis of a Midwestern, USA eutrophic lake dominated by non-native Common Carp and Zebra Mussels," Ecological Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 312(C), pages 26-40.
    15. Yang, Jin & Chen, Bin, 2016. "Energy–water nexus of wind power generation systems," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 169(C), pages 1-13.
    16. Zhai, Mengyu & Huang, Guohe & Liu, Lirong & Zheng, Boyue & Guan, Yuru, 2020. "Inter-regional carbon flows embodied in electricity transmission: network simulation for energy-carbon nexus," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 118(C).
    17. Schramski, J.R. & Patten, B.C. & Kazanci, C. & Gattie, D.K. & Kellam, N.N., 2009. "The Reynolds transport theorem: Application to ecological compartment modeling and case study of ecosystem energetics," Ecological Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 220(22), pages 3225-3232.
    18. Yang, Zhifeng & Mao, Xufeng, 2011. "Wetland system network analysis for environmental flow allocations in the Baiyangdian Basin, China," Ecological Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 222(20), pages 3785-3794.
    19. Zhang, Yan & Zheng, Hongmei & Fath, Brian D., 2015. "Ecological network analysis of an industrial symbiosis system: A case study of the Shandong Lubei eco-industrial park," Ecological Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 306(C), pages 174-184.
    20. Zhang, Yan & Yang, Zhifeng & Yu, Xiangyi, 2009. "Ecological network and emergy analysis of urban metabolic systems: Model development, and a case study of four Chinese cities," Ecological Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 220(11), pages 1431-1442.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:eee:ecomod:v:222:y:2011:i:14:p:2393-2403. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Catherine Liu (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.journals.elsevier.com/ecological-modelling .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.