5 Using Ecology to Quantify Organization in Fluid Flows

Abstract

Numerous applications of variational principles derived from physical thermodynamics have been made to the description of development in living systems. While some have met with varying degrees of success, it appears none of the measures from classical thermodynamics adequately incorporates the roles of intrinsic system constraints into a robust description of biotic development. The flow network measure ascendency, therefore, has been formulated to express more explicitly the constraints immanent in ecosystem trophic exchanges. Ascendency has wide applicability and can be used as well to provide a measure of the overall degree of organization inherent in a purely physical flow field, such as rates of energy exchange. It can also be employed to pinpoint the bottlenecks that control the fluid flow field.