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Regime changes in ecological systems: an information theory approach.
Brian D Fath1, Heriberto Cabezas, Christopher W Pawlowski
1Biology Department, Towson University, Towson, MD 21252, USA.
Journal of Theoretical Biology
|June 5, 2003
Summary
We developed an ecological system index using information theory to measure system order and track changes. This new index can detect regime shifts and transient behaviors in ecological systems.
Area of Science:
- Ecological Informatics
- Information Theory
- Systems Ecology
Background:
- Ecological systems exhibit complex dynamics and transitions.
- Quantifying system order and detecting regime shifts remains challenging.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop a novel ecological system index using information theory.
- To measure system order and track dynamic behaviors.
- To identify potential regime shifts in ecological systems.
Main Methods:
- Derived an expression for Fisher Information based on system trajectory sampling in state space.
- Calculated the Fisher Information index over system periods.
- Applied the index to model ecosystems.
Main Results:
- The Fisher Information index quantifies system order.
- The index captures variations in speed and acceleration along periodic trajectories.
- Repeated calculations track steady states and transient behavior.
Conclusions:
- The developed Fisher Information index can serve as a valuable tool for ecological monitoring.
- This index shows promise for detecting system 'flips' and regime changes.
- The approach offers a quantitative method for understanding ecological system dynamics.
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