Complexity of lakes in a latitudinal gradient
Por:
Fernández N., Aguilar J., Piña-García C.A., Gershenson C.
Publicada:
1 sep 2017
Resumen:
Measuring complexity is fast becoming a key instrument to compare
different ecosystems at various scales in ecology. To date there has
been little agreement on how to properly describe complexity in terms of
ecology. In this regard, this manuscript assesses the significance of
using a set of proposed measures based on information theory. These
measures are as follows: emergence, self -organization, complexity,
homeostasis and autopoiesis. A combination of quantitative and
qualitative approaches was used in the data analysis with the aim to
apply these proposed measures. This study systematically reviews the
data previously collected and generated by a model carried out on four
aquatic ecosystems located between the Arctic region and the tropical
zone. Thus, this research discusses the case of exploring a high level
of self-organization in terms of movement, distribution, and quality of
water between the northern temperate zone and the tropics. Moreover, it
was assessed the significance of the presence of a complex variable (pH)
in the middle of the latitudinal transect. Similarly, this study
explores the relationship between self-organization and limiting
nutrients (nitrogen, phosphorus and silicates). Furthermore, the
importance of how a biomass subsystem is affected by seasonal variations
is highlighted in this manuscript. This case study seeks to examine the
changing nature of how seasonality affects the complexity dynamics of
photosynthetic taxa (lakes located in northern temperate zone) at high
latitudes, and it also investigates how a high level of
self-organization at the tropical zone can lead to increase the amount
of planktonic and benthic fish which determines the dynamics of
complexity. This research also compares the emerging role of how a
biomass subsystem has a highest temporal dynamics compared to he
limiting nutrients' subsystem. In the same way, the results associated
to autopoiesis reflect a moderate degree of autonomy of photosynthetic
biomass. It is also discussed the case of how complexity values change
in the middle of the latitudinal gradient for all components. Finally, a
comparison with Tsallis information was carried out in order to
determine that these proposed measures are more suitable due to they are
independent of any other parameter. Thus, this approach considers some
elements closely related to information theory which determine and
better describe ecological dynamics. (C) 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights
reserved.
Filiaciones:
Fernández N.:
Laboratorio de Hidroinformática, Universidad de Pamplona, Pamplona, 543050, Colombia
Grupo de Investigación en Ecología y Biogeografía, Universidad de Pamplona, Pamplona, 543050, Colombia
Centro de Micro-electrónica y Sistemas Distribuidos (CEMISID), Universidad de los Andes, Mérida, 5101, Venezuela
Laboratorio Nacional de Ciencias de la Sostenibilidad, Instituto de Ecología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México 70275, Ciudad de México, 04510, Mexico
Aguilar J.:
Centro de Micro-electrónica y Sistemas Distribuidos (CEMISID), Universidad de los Andes, Mérida, 5101, Venezuela
Piña-García C.A.:
Departamento de Ciencias de la Computación, Instituto de Investigaciones en Matemáticas Aplicadas y en Sistemas(IIMAS), Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Ciudad de México, 04510, Mexico
Gershenson C.:
Departamento de Ciencias de la Computación, Instituto de Investigaciones en Matemáticas Aplicadas y en Sistemas(IIMAS), Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Ciudad de México, 04510, Mexico
Centro de Ciencias de la Complejidad (C3), Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Ciudad de Mexico, 04510, Mexico
SENSEable City Lab, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, United States
MoBS Lab, Northeastern University, Boston, MA 02115, United States
ITMO University, St. Petersburg, 199034, Russian Federation
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