Deterministic, Stochastic and Thermodynamic Modelling of some Interacting Species
Deterministic, Stochastic and Thermodynamic Modelling of some Interacting Species

Author: Guruprasad Samanta

Publisher: Springer Nature

Published: 2021-11-24

Total Pages: 188

ISBN-13: 9811663122

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This book presents the understanding of how the different forms of regulatory mechanisms, like birth and death, competition, consumption and the like, result in changes in the stability and dynamics of ecological systems. It deals with a profound and unique insight into the mathematical richness of basic ecological models. Organised into eight chapters, the book discusses the models of mathematical ecology, the dynamical models of single-species system in a polluted environment, the dynamical behaviour of different nonautonomous two species systems in a polluted environment, the influence of environmental noise in Gompertzian and logistic growth models, stability behaviour in randomly fluctuating versus deterministic environments of two interacting species, stochastic analysis of a demographic model of urbanization and stability behaviour of a social group by means of loop analysis, thermodynamic criteria of stability and stochastic criteria of stability. The book will be useful to the researchers and graduate students who wish to pursue research in mathematical ecology.

Evolution from a Thermodynamic Perspective
Evolution from a Thermodynamic Perspective

Author: Carl F Jordan

Publisher: Springer Nature

Published: 2021-11-26

Total Pages: 383

ISBN-13: 3030851869

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Survival of the fittest” is a tautology, because those that are “fit” are the ones that survive, but to survive, a species must be “fit”. Modern evolutionary theory avoids the problem by defining fitness as reproductive success, but the complexity of life that we see today could not have evolved based on selection that favors only reproductive ability. There is nothing inherent in reproductive success alone that could result in higher forms of life. Evolution from a Thermodynamic Perspective presents a non-circular definition of fitness and a thermodynamic definition of evolution. Fitness means maximization of power output, necessary to survive in a competitive world. Evolution is the “storage of entropy”. “Entropy storage” means that solar energy, instead of dissipating as heat in the Earth, is stored in the structure of living organisms and ecosystems. Part one explains this in terms comprehensible to a scientific audience beyond biophysicists and ecosystem modelers. Part two applies thermodynamic theory in non-esoteric language to sustainability of agriculture, and to conservation of endangered species. While natural systems are stabilized by feedback, agricultural systems remain in a mode of perpetual growth, pressured by balance of trade and by a swelling population. The constraints imposed by thermodynamic laws are being increasingly felt as economic expansion destabilizes resource systems on which expansion depends.

Transport and Interactions of Chlorides in Cement-based Materials
Transport and Interactions of Chlorides in Cement-based Materials

Author: Caijun Shi

Publisher: CRC Press

Published: 2019-07-26

Total Pages: 238

ISBN-13: 0429881975

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Chloride-induced corrosion is the most important durability issue of reinforced concrete structures, and the prediction and prevention of chloride-induced corrosion has attracted considerable interest all over the world. Given that chloride penetrates through the concrete cover, the issues concerning its transport are crucial. These include testing methods, prediction, and the prevention of ingress. During the transport process, physical and chemical interaction occurs between chloride and cement hydrates, which in turn affects the further transport, so the transport of chloride and these interactions are closely related and underpin our understanding of chloride-induced corrosion in RC structures. This book provides in-depth discussion of chloride transport and its interaction in cement-based materials, and reviews and summarizes the state of the art. The mechanisms and testing methods for chloride transport, chemical interactions of chloride with cement hydrates, chloride binding isotherms, measurement of penetration depths, factors affecting chloride transport, and modeling of chloride transport are discussed in detail. This book serves as a reference for researchers or engineer, and a textbook for graduate students.

Stochastic Nonlinear Systems in Physics, Chemistry, and Biology
Stochastic Nonlinear Systems in Physics, Chemistry, and Biology

Author: L. Arnold

Publisher: Springer Science & Business Media

Published: 2012-12-06

Total Pages: 239

ISBN-13: 3642680380

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This book contains the invited papers of the interdisciplinary workshop on "Stochastic Nonlinear Systems in Physics, Chemistry and Biology" held at the Center for Interdisciplinary Research (ZIF), University of Bielefeld, West Germany, October 5-11, 1980. The workshop brought some 25 physicists, chemists, and biologists - who deal with stochastic phenomena - and about an equal number of mathematicians - who are experts in the theory of stochastic processes - together. The Scientific Commitee consisted of L. Arnold (Bremen), A. Dress (Bielefeld), W. Horsthemke (Brussels), T. Kurtz (Madison), R. Lefever (Brussels), G. Nicolis (Brussels), and V. Wihstutz (Bremen). The main topics of the workshop were the transition from deterministic to stoch astic behavior, external noise and noise induced transitions, internal fluctuations, phase transitions, and irreversible thermodynamics, and on the mathematical side, approximation of stochastic processes, qualitative theory of stochastic systems, and space-time processes. The workshop was sponsored by ZIF, Bielefeld, and by the Universities of Bremen and Brussels. We would like to thank the staff of ZIF and H. Crauel and M. Ehrhardt (Bremen) for the perfect organization and their assistance. In addition, our thanks go to Professor H. Haken for having these Proceedings included in the Se ries in Synergetics. Bremen and Brussels L. Arnold and R. Lefever December 1980 v Contents Part I. Introduction: From Deterministic to Stochastic Behavior On the Foundations of Kinetic Theory By B. Misr~ and I. Prigogine (With 1 Figure) ............................. .

Analysis of Ecological Systems: State-of-the-Art in Ecological Modelling
Analysis of Ecological Systems: State-of-the-Art in Ecological Modelling

Author: W.K. Lauenroth

Publisher: Elsevier

Published: 2013-10-22

Total Pages: 995

ISBN-13: 0444597654

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The International Society for Ecological Modelling (ISEM) sponsors conferences, workshops and training courses with the aim of advancing the development of ecological and environmental modelling. The 3rd International Conference on the state-of-the-art in ecological modelling was sponsored by the ISEM in cooperation with the National Park Service Water Resources Laboratory and hosted by the Natural Resource Ecology Laboratory at Colorado State University. Its theme was the application of ecological modelling to environmental management and this book contains the full texts of the three invited papers presented in the five general sessions, plus the final summaries and syntheses of the topics covered during those sessions.

Vadose Zone Processes
Vadose Zone Processes

Author: John S. Selker

Publisher: CRC Press

Published: 1999-06-28

Total Pages: 356

ISBN-13: 9780873719537

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Vadose Zone Processes provides a unified, up-to-date treatment on the movement of water through unsaturated media. In addition to covering the basic equations governing the flow and fate of water in unsaturated media, the text covers the biogeochemistry of vadose environments and the statistical description of vadose processes. The authors emphasize maintaining an intuitive understanding of how the results are derived and how they are appropriately applied. This comprehensive and important book will be useful not only to those in traditional fields such as civil engineering, geology, crop science, chemical engineering, agricultural engineering, and hydrology but also in the newer environmental engineering fields including containment transport, pollution remediation, and waste disposal.