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Statistical mechanics unifies different ecological patterns

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Title: Statistical mechanics unifies different ecological patterns
Authors: Dewar, Roderick C.1 dewar@bordeaux.inra.fr, Porté, Annabel2
Source: Journal of Theoretical Biology. Apr2008, Vol. 251 Issue 3, p389-403. 15p.
Subjects: Statistical mechanics, Ecology, Entropy, Numbers of species, Biotic communities
Abstract: Abstract: Recently there has been growing interest in the use of maximum relative entropy (MaxREnt) as a tool for statistical inference in ecology. In contrast, here we propose MaxREnt as a tool for applying statistical mechanics to ecology. We use MaxREnt to explain and predict species abundance patterns in ecological communities in terms of the most probable behaviour under given environmental constraints, in the same way that statistical mechanics explains and predicts the behaviour of thermodynamic systems. We show that MaxREnt unifies a number of different ecological patterns: (i) at relatively local scales a unimodal biodiversity–productivity relationship is predicted in good agreement with published data on grassland communities, (ii) the predicted relative frequency of rare vs. abundant species is very similar to the empirical lognormal distribution, (iii) both neutral and non-neutral species abundance patterns are explained, (iv) on larger scales a monotonic biodiversity–productivity relationship is predicted in agreement with the species-energy law, (v) energetic equivalence and power law self-thinning behaviour are predicted in resource-rich communities. We identify mathematical similarities between these ecological patterns and the behaviour of thermodynamic systems, and conclude that the explanation of ecological patterns is not unique to ecology but rather reflects the generic statistical behaviour of complex systems with many degrees of freedom under very general types of environmental constraints. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]
Copyright of Journal of Theoretical Biology is the property of Academic Press Inc. and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)
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DbLabel: Engineering Source
An: 31374312
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  Data: Statistical mechanics unifies different ecological patterns
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Statistical+mechanics%22">Statistical mechanics</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Ecology%22">Ecology</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Entropy%22">Entropy</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Numbers+of+species%22">Numbers of species</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Biotic+communities%22">Biotic communities</searchLink>
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  Data: Abstract: Recently there has been growing interest in the use of maximum relative entropy (MaxREnt) as a tool for statistical inference in ecology. In contrast, here we propose MaxREnt as a tool for applying statistical mechanics to ecology. We use MaxREnt to explain and predict species abundance patterns in ecological communities in terms of the most probable behaviour under given environmental constraints, in the same way that statistical mechanics explains and predicts the behaviour of thermodynamic systems. We show that MaxREnt unifies a number of different ecological patterns: (i) at relatively local scales a unimodal biodiversity–productivity relationship is predicted in good agreement with published data on grassland communities, (ii) the predicted relative frequency of rare vs. abundant species is very similar to the empirical lognormal distribution, (iii) both neutral and non-neutral species abundance patterns are explained, (iv) on larger scales a monotonic biodiversity–productivity relationship is predicted in agreement with the species-energy law, (v) energetic equivalence and power law self-thinning behaviour are predicted in resource-rich communities. We identify mathematical similarities between these ecological patterns and the behaviour of thermodynamic systems, and conclude that the explanation of ecological patterns is not unique to ecology but rather reflects the generic statistical behaviour of complex systems with many degrees of freedom under very general types of environmental constraints. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]
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  Data: <i>Copyright of Journal of Theoretical Biology is the property of Academic Press Inc. and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract.</i> (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)
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        Value: 10.1016/j.jtbi.2007.12.007
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      – Code: eng
        Text: English
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        PageCount: 15
        StartPage: 389
    Subjects:
      – SubjectFull: Statistical mechanics
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Ecology
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Entropy
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Numbers of species
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Biotic communities
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      – TitleFull: Statistical mechanics unifies different ecological patterns
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              Text: Apr2008
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              Y: 2008
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