Ecoduality

Abstract

Dualism has been a viable concept in physics since the 1920s, when Arthur Compton demonstrated the corpuscular nature of photons as distinct from its wave nature. More recently, information theory applied to ecological dynamics has portrayed the behavior of whole ecosystems as being, not only dual, but actually dialectical (oppositional) in nature. Duality in ecology, however, pertains not only to whole systems but also to the constitutive elements as well - their taxa and exchanges. Here the quantitative degrees to which each element contributes antagonistically to system structure and flexibility is parsed out. The analysis reveals a more comprehensive alternative to the use of Boltzmann-Gibbs "entropy" with which to express biodiversity. Virtually all real ecosystem elements exhibit such quantifiable duality, which depend more on system topology than on positivist mechanisms. One is led, therefore, to search among realms beyond conventional physics, such as process theory and apophasis (lacunae) to formulate a complete quantitative description of ecosystem status and behavior. Because numerous other complex systems can be described in terms of two-dimensional flow matrices, the possibility arises that dualistic behavior may be far more widespread in nature than heretofore has been intuited.