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The Maximum Entropy Formalism of statistical mechanics in a biological application: a quantitative analysis of tropical forest ecology
- Publication Year :
- 2021
- Publisher :
- HAL CCSD, 2021.
-
Abstract
- In a time of rapid global change, the question of what determines patterns in species abundance distribution remains a priority for understanding the complex dynamics of ecosystems. The constrained maximization of information entropy provides a framework for the understanding of such complex systems dynamics by a quantitative analysis of important constraints via predictions using least biased probability distributions. We apply it to over two thousand hectares of Amazonian tree inventories across seven forest types and thirteen functional traits, representing major global axes of plant strategies. Results show that constraints formed by regional relative abundances of genera explain almost ten times more of local relative abundances then constraints based on either directional or stabilizing selection for specific functional traits, although the latter does show clear signals of environmental dependency. These results provide a quantitative insight by inference from large-scale data using cross-disciplinary methods, furthering our understanding of ecological dynamics.
- Subjects :
- Information theory
[SDV.EE.ECO]Life Sciences [q-bio]/Ecology, environment/Ecosystems
Amazon rainforest
Maximum entropy
Biodiversity
[SDV.BV.BOT]Life Sciences [q-bio]/Vegetal Biology/Botanics
[SDE.BE]Environmental Sciences/Biodiversity and Ecology
[SDV.BID.SPT]Life Sciences [q-bio]/Biodiversity/Systematics, Phylogenetics and taxonomy
Subjects
Details
- Language :
- English
- Database :
- OpenAIRE
- Accession number :
- edsair.dedup.wf.001..c47b66eaf1c8a0222f96f049f41c34e1