Towards a Thermodynamic Theory for Ecological Systems

5 7/8 X 8 7/8 in Preface. 1. Thermodynamics as a method: A problem o f statistical description. 1.1 Literary introducti on. 1.2 Ontic openness. 1.3 The scope of this volume. 2. The laws of classical thermodynamics and their application to ecol ogy. 2.1 Introduction. 2.2 Matter and energy in me chanics and thermodynamics. Energy conservation as the first law of ther modynamics. Fundamental Gibbs Equation. 2.3 Entropy and the second law o f thermodynamics: Nernst’s theorem. 2.4 Maximal work which the system ca n perform on its environment. Characteristic functions or thermodynamic potentials. 2.5 Chemical equilibrium, chemical affinity and standard ene rgies of biochemical reactions. Function of dissipation. 2.6 Illustratio ns of thermodynamics in ecology. 2.7 Ecosystem as a biochemical reactor. 2.8 Summary of the important ecological issues. 3. Second and third law of thermodynamics in open systems.
3.1 Open systems and their energy balance. 3.2 The second law of thermodynamics interpreted for open systems. 3.3 Prigogine’s theorem an