On Approaches to Ecosystem Modelling

Abstract

Analysis, control and management of ecosystems are complex tasks which have to cover broad ranges of operating environmental states and decision making. Current approaches to ecosystems modelling and simulation are mostly based on information theory, thermodynamics, topology, or balances of biological and chemical components. Ecosystems are considered from the point of view of information theory as complex dynamic communication networks with living and non-living components and their interrelationships. Mostly, state space approaches are used for ecosystem management. But these models give no answer to structural ecosystem changes. The relational ecology approach covers more the structural problems of ecosystem modelling. The relations are given qualitatively, but cannot be quantified. The network approach seems to be the most appropriate approach to include behavioural and structural changes of ecosystems in models.