Interactions matter - complexity in landscapes and ecosystems
Authored by S Sadedin, DG Green
Date Published: 2005
DOI: 10.1016/j.ecocom.2004.11.006
Sponsors:
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Platforms:
Tierra
Avida
Model Documentation:
Other Narrative
Flow charts
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Abstract
In this review we argue that theories and methodology arising from the
field of complex systems form a new paradigm for ecology. Patterns and
processes resulting from interactions between individuals, populations, species and communities in landscapes are the core topic of ecology.
These interactions form complex networks, which are the subject of
intense research in complexity theory, informatics and statistical
mechanics. This research has shown that complex natural networks often
share common structures such as loops, trees and clusters. The observed
structures contribute to widespread processes including feedback, non-linear dynamics, criticality and self-organisation. Simulation
modelling is a key tool in studying complex networks and has become
popular in ecology, especially in adaptive management. Important
techniques include cellular automata and individual-based models. The
complex systems paradigm has led to advances in landscape ecology, including a deeper understanding of the dynamics of spatial pattern
formation, habitat fragmentation, epidemic processes, and genetic
variation. Network analysis reveals that underlying patterns of
interactions, such as small worlds and clusters, in food webs and
ecosystems have strong implications for their stability and dynamics.
These investigations illustrate how complexity theory and associated
methodologies are transforming ecological research, providing new
perspectives on old questions as well as raising many new ones. (c) 2005
Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
Tags
agent-based simulation
Habitat heterogeneity
Small-world
Cellular-automata
Spatially-explicit
Self-organized criticality
Individual-based
model
Species-diversity
Heterogeneous
landscapes
Neutral theory