An ideal ecosystem and several problems of our time / Yury Kamenir, Marine Ecology Lab., Bar Ilan Univ., Ramat-Gan, Israel.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Kamenir, Yury, author.

Contributor:

Kamenir, Yury, editor.

Series:

Environmental research advances series.

Environmental Research Advances

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Biotic communities--Mathematical models.

Biotic communities.

Physical Description:

1 online resource (153 p.)

Place of Publication:

New York, [New York] : Nova Publishers, 2016.

Language Note:

English

Summary:

The general aim of this book is to explain the development of several types of models using an extremely small number of parameters in an attempt to find consistent properties of integral living matter within aquatic ecosystems. Starting from a minimal model of the whole study [i.e. the ideal minimal ecosystem (IMES)], the authors developed a series of statistical models (size spectra, rank distribution, and regression models, including allometries). They then proceeded from ataxonomic to taxonomic size spectra to demonstrate and explain the high consistency of natural communities. Several types of species size-frequency distributions or "taxonomic size spectra" were applied, diminishing the importance of rare species and the assemblage time-space heterogeneity. A series of original studies written during the last thirty years to develop condensed, formalized models and empirical comparisons has demonstrated general patterns and the model's drawbacks; hence, several cycles of modernization were fulfilled, revealing both the stability of natural aquatic communities and small-scale variability of the general pattern. Comparisons of several taxonomic hierarchy levels speak in favor of the whole-assemblage origin of the statistical mechanisms, supporting the long-term consistency of phytoplankton taxonomic size structure. Specific changes in the taxonomic size spectrum fine structure were evident and may be helpful for diagnostics, while the spectrum general pattern consistency can be helpful for monitoring and modeling the aim of this study. The consistency difference between several levels of the phytoplankton taxonomic hierarchy was demonstrated as a new phenomenon important for modeling, monitoring, and ecological forecast. Though stochastic dynamics of abundances and biomasses often emerge from experiments and mathematical models, some predictable patterns and indices emerged from large-scale studies of natural aquatic assemblages. Mathematical models demonstrated the formation of long-tail distributions produced by metabolic webs. Such consistency phenomena lead to explanatory ecological models based on concepts of the living whirl (G. Cuvier), living matter (V. Vernadsky), dissipative structures, and biogeochemical cycles. Aquatic (marine and freshwater) ecosystem management could be sufficiently strengthened, applying reliable patterns and descriptors suitable for forecasting and diagnostic purposes.

Contents:

AN IDEAL ECOSYSTEM AND SEVERAL PROBLEMS OF OUR TIME; AN IDEAL ECOSYSTEM AND SEVERAL PROBLEMS OF OUR TIME; Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data; CONTENTS; PREFACE; Chapter 1: OUR WORLD IS CHANGING ; Chapter 2: LIVING MATTER; INTRODUCTION; Chapter 3: LIVING VORTEX; INTRODUCTION; LIVING VORTEX; THE CORNERSTONE CONCEPTS ON LIVING SYSTEMS (SUMMARY); Chapter 4: IDEAL MINIMAL ECOSYSTEM; INTRODUCTION; IDEAL OBJECT; Chapter 5: MODELING AND MINIMAL BUILDING BLOCKS; Chapter 6: ALLOMETRY AND METABOLIC SURFACE ; INTRODUCTION; MATERIALS AND METHODS; RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

Chapter 7: SIZE SPECTRA AND TOTAL SURFACE AREA OF LIVING MATTER OF THE OCEANINTRODUCTION; MATERIALS AND METHODS; DISCUSSION; Chapter 8: A COMPARISON OF EIGHT AQUATIC ECOSYSTEMS; INTRODUCTION; MATERIAL AND METHODS; RESULTS; DISCUSSION; CONCLUSION; Chapter 9: SIZE STRUCTURE STABILITY OF PHYTOPLANKTON ASSEMBLAGE IN A SUBTROPICAL LAKE; INTRODUCTION; MATERIALS AND METHODS; RESULTS AND DISCUSSION; CONCLUSION; Chapter 10: THE LONG-TERM PATTERNS OF PHYTOPLANKTON TAXONOMIC SIZE-STRUCTURE; INTRODUCTION; MATERIALS AND METHODS; RESULTS; DISCUSSION; CONCLUSION

Chapter 11: COMPARISON OF TAXONOMIC SIZE-STRUCTURE OF SEVERAL AQUATIC ECOSYSTEMSINTRODUCTION; THE OBJECTS, OBJECTIVES, AND HYPOTHESES; MATERIAL AND METHODS; RESULTS; DISCUSSION; CONCLUSION; Chapter 12: CONSISTENCY OF TAXONOMIC SIZE-STRUCTURE OF MAJOR PHYTOPLANKTON PHYLA ; INTRODUCTION; MATERIALS AND METHODS; RESULTS; DISCUSSION; CONCLUSION; Chapter 13: A MULTISIDED ANALYSIS OF LIVING MATTER ; INTRODUCTION; MATERIALS AND METHODS; RESULTS AND DISCUSSION; CONCLUSION; Chapter 14: HIGH ORDERLINESS OF PHYTOPLANKTON TAXONOMIC STRUCTURE ; INTRODUCTION; MATERIALS AND METHODS; RESULTS; DISCUSSION

CONCLUSIONChapter 15: A 20TH CENTURY INTERPRETATION; INTRODUCTION; THE TIME SCALE; SEVERAL CENTURIES; Chapter 16: RES PUBLICA BIOSPHERE; REFERENCES; INDEX

Notes:

Description based upon print version of record.

Includes bibliographical references and index.

Description based on print version record.

ISBN:

1-63484-479-3