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Ecological state equation

Author

Listed:
  • Rodríguez, Ricardo A.
  • Herrera, Ada M.
  • Otto, Rüdiger
  • Delgado, Juan D.
  • Fernández-Palacios, José M.
  • Arévalo, José R.

Abstract

The direct equivalence between ecology and thermodynamics has not been attained despite accepted thermodynamic features of the ecosystem. This article explores the homeomorphism between ecology and statistical mechanics by analysis of ruderal vegetation. In conventional thermostatistical algorithm, the pro-kinetic effect of temperature on molecules was replaced by the anti-kinetic effect of species diversity on biological individuals. The existence of an ecological equivalent of the thermodynamic Boltzmann constant was empirically verified. From the relationship of this constant with biocenological variables, we derived a probable ecological equation of state under stationary and quasi-stationary conditions. This equation of state is homeomorphic with regard to the ideal gas state equation, and it is useful to infer the value of some biocenological parameters whose direct measurement is difficult, as biomass, energy and dispersal. According to these results, ecosystem assessment from conventional thermostatistics is plausible and empirically verifiable. This approach offers useful analytical tools for the conservation and restoration of ecosystems.

Suggested Citation

  • Rodríguez, Ricardo A. & Herrera, Ada M. & Otto, Rüdiger & Delgado, Juan D. & Fernández-Palacios, José M. & Arévalo, José R., 2012. "Ecological state equation," Ecological Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 224(1), pages 18-24.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:ecomod:v:224:y:2012:i:1:p:18-24
    DOI: 10.1016/j.ecolmodel.2011.10.020
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    1. Rodríguez, Ricardo A. & Duncan, Janelle M. & Vanni, Michael J. & Melkikh, Alexey V. & Delgado, Juan D. & Riera, Rodrigo & Herrera, Ada M. & Camarena, Tomás & Quirós, Ángel & Fernández-Palacios, José M, 2017. "Exploring the analytical consequences of ecological subjects unwittingly neglected by the mainstream of evolutionary thought," Ecological Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 355(C), pages 70-83.
    2. Riera, Rodrigo & Fath, Brian D. & Herrera, Ada M. & Rodríguez, Ricardo A., 2024. "A strategic roadmap for interdisciplinary modeling in ecology: The result of reading ‘Defining an ecological equation of state: Response to Riera et al. 2023′ (Newman et al., 2023)," Ecological Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 490(C).
    3. Aerts, Diederik & Czachor, Marek & Kuna, Maciej & Sozzo, Sandro, 2013. "Systems, environments, and soliton rate equations: A non-Kolmogorovian framework for population dynamics," Ecological Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 267(C), pages 80-92.
    4. Rodríguez, Ricardo A. & Herrera, Ada Ma. & Riera, Rodrigo & Delgado, Juan D. & Quirós, Ángel & Perdomo, María E. & Santander, Jacobo & Miranda, Jezahel V. & Fernández-Rodríguez, María J. & Jiménez-Rod, 2015. "Thermostatistical distribution of a trophic energy proxy with analytical consequences for evolutionary ecology, species coexistence and the maximum entropy formalism," Ecological Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 296(C), pages 24-35.
    5. Rodríguez, Ricardo A. & Delgado, Juan D. & Herrera, Ada Ma. & Riera, Rodrigo & Navarro, Rafael Ma. & Melián, Carlos & Dieguez, Lorenzo & Quirós, Ángel, 2013. "Effects of two traits of the ecological state equation on our understanding of species coexistence and ecosystem services," Ecological Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 265(C), pages 1-13.
    6. Rodríguez, Ricardo A. & Herrera, Ada Mª & Quirós, Ángel & Fernández-Rodríguez, María J. & Delgado, Juan D. & Jiménez-Rodríguez, Antonia & Fernández-Palacios, José Mª & Otto, Rüdiger & Escudero, Carlos, 2016. "Exploring the spontaneous contribution of Claude E. Shannon to eco-evolutionary theory," Ecological Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 327(C), pages 57-64.
    7. Rodríguez, Ricardo A. & Herrera, Ada Mª & Delgado, Juan D. & Otto, Rüdiger & Quirós, Ángel & Santander, Jacobo & Miranda, Jezahel V. & Fernández, María J. & Jiménez-Rodríguez, Antonia & Riera, Rodrigo, 2013. "Biomass-dispersal trade-off and the functional meaning of species diversity," Ecological Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 261, pages 8-18.
    8. Rodríguez, Ricardo A. & Herrera, Ada M. & Riera, Rodrigo & Santander, Jacobo & Miranda, Jezahel V. & Quirós, Ángel & Fernández-Rodríguez, María J. & Fernández-Palacios, José M. & Otto, Rüdiger & Escud, 2015. "Distribution of species diversity values: A link between classical and quantum mechanics in ecology," Ecological Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 313(C), pages 162-180.
    9. Rodríguez, Ricardo A. & Herrera, Ada Ma. & Santander, Jacobo & Miranda, Jezahel V. & Fernández-Rodríguez, María J. & Quirós, Ángel & Riera, Rodrigo & Fernández-Palacios, José Mª. & Otto, Rüdiger & Esc, 2015. "Uncertainty principle in niche assessment: A solution to the dilemma redundancy vs. competitive exclusion, and some analytical consequences," Ecological Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 316(C), pages 87-110.
    10. Riera, Rodrigo & Fath, Brian D. & Herrera, Ada M. & Rodríguez, Ricardo A., 2023. "Concerns regarding the proposal for an ecological equation of state: an assessment starting from the organic biophysics of ecosystems (OBEC)," Ecological Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 484(C).
    11. Rodríguez, Ricardo A. & Duncan, Janelle & Riera, Rodrigo & Delgado, Juan D. & Quirós, Angel & Vanni, Michael J. & Camarena, Tomás & Miranda, Jezahel V. & Perdomo, María E. & Herrera, Ada M. & González, 2017. "Thermostatistical distribution of a trophic energy proxy: Extension for modelling energy pyramids at the inter-taxocene scale and under non-stationary conditions," Ecological Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 361(C), pages 113-121.
    12. Rodríguez, Ricardo A. & Herrera, Ada Ma. & Santander, Jacobo & Miranda, Jezahel V. & Perdomo, María E. & Quirós, Ángel & Riera, Rodrigo & Fath, Brian D., 2016. "From a stationary to a non-stationary ecological state equation: Adding a tool for ecological monitoring," Ecological Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 320(C), pages 44-51.
    13. Rodríguez, Ricardo A. & Duncan, Janelle M. & Delgado, Juan D. & Vanni, Michael J. & Riera, Rodrigo & Herrera, Ada M. & González, María J., 2017. "Assessment of ecosystem trophodynamic power: A model based on the power equation for an oscillating string," Ecological Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 362(C), pages 80-86.
    14. Rodríguez, Ricardo A. & Herrera, Ada M. & Duncan, Janelle & Riera, Rodrigo & Quirós, Ángel & Perdomo, María E. & Jiménez-Rodríguez, Antonia & Fernández-Palacios, José María & Vanni, Michael J. & Otto,, 2016. "Response to comments on “Uncertainty principle in niche assessment: A solution to the dilemma redundancy vs. competitive exclusion, and some analytical consequences”," Ecological Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 341(C), pages 1-4.
    15. Rodríguez, Ricardo A. & Riera, Rodrigo & Herrera, Ada M. & Duncan, Janelle M. & Vanni, Michael J. & Delgado, Juan D. & González, María J., 2019. "Degrees of freedom: Definitions and their minimum and most meaningful combination for the modelling of ecosystem dynamics with the help of physical principles," Ecological Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 392(C), pages 226-235.

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