Abstract
Over the past decade, the authors have studied the organization of ecosystems using complex systems theory, and in particular non-equilibrium thermodynamics. This study has led to a set of hypotheses concerning the organizational development of ecosystems, a thermodynamic framework for discussing ecosystem integrity, and a set of measures that reflect ecosystem organization and aid in the assessment of the impact of environmental change. These are presented herein.
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Kay, J.J., Schneider, E.D. (1992). Thermodynamics and Measures of Ecological Integrity. In: McKenzie, D.H., Hyatt, D.E., McDonald, V.J. (eds) Ecological Indicators. Springer, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4615-4659-7_12
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4615-4659-7_12
Publisher Name: Springer, Boston, MA
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