Salt-marshes as emergent novelties in the Venice Lagoon

Cecconi, Giovanni Alberto; Cerasuolo, Claudia; Marchettini, Nadia; Tiezzi, Enzo

doi:10.1016/j.ecolmodel.2009.04.034

Cited by 2 publications

(2 citation statements)

References 9 publications

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“…In the present paper we summarize such observations and try to outline a conceptual frame where such observations can find a rationale. A short preliminary résumé has been presented elsewhere [1].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Ecosystem self-organization in the Venice Lagoon

Cecconi

Cerasuolo

Giudice³

et al. 2009

WIT Transactions on Ecology and the Environment

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The formation of salt marshes (barene) in the Venice Lagoon is discussed in light of recent theories about the emergence of novelties. Namely, the emergent properties and the new formations are related to field quantum coherence domains and to dissipative structures.The boundary conditions, the ontic openness of the ecosystem and the continuous flow of energy and materials allow self-organization during the salt marshes formation and development.The role of the interphase and of the increasing mud deposit is also discussed from the point of view of Prigogine's Thermodynamics, taking into account the constraints and the limit conditions.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Ecosystem self-organization in the Venice Lagoon

Cecconi

Cerasuolo

Giudice³

et al. 2009

WIT Transactions on Ecology and the Environment

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“…The formation of a salt-marsh in the lagoon of Venice was based on this model: the flows of tidal energy and matter on an intertidal surface interface produced compartmentalization that led to the formation of organic matter [19,20]. Once the first living matter had been established in the form of a microbial mat, the trapping process self-accelerated, giving rise to massive growth of structured biomass and biodiversity.…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Confined Ontic Open Systems

Tiezzi¹,

Cecconi²

2010

Int. J. DNE

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Confined Ontic Open Systems is a new ecodynamic model based on Prigogine's thermodynamics, Ulanowicz's ontic openness and Coherence Domains with defined boundaries and constraints. The model has a wide range of applications, including ecosystems (e.g. invasive species, the lagoon of Venice), ecological economics, urban organization, the supra-molecular structure of water and global biosphere's models. The model is explained in terms of evolutionary thermodynamics and Jørgensen's ecosystems theory, namely "order out of chaos" and eco-exergy. Particular attention is devoted to the emergence of novelties and to the role of water. Keywords: coherence domains, dissipative structures, open systems.INTRODUCTION 1 COOS is an acronym for Confined Ontic Open Systems from the name of the Greek island (Kos, Coo or Coos) where the science of medicine originated at the time of Hippocrates. In Greek mythology, Asclepius, the first great doctor, ascended Mount Olympus as a god and was the first to love water. The primordial element water was considered essential in traditional Asclepiadean therapy, where the ritual of bathing was a form of purification before offering gifts to the great god of health. Hippocrates of Coos separated medicine from religion, magic and philosophy and used it in various fields. He was the first to describe the properties of water as one of the four elements (fire, earth and air) of human nature on which perfection (health, well-being) depends. Health was impaired if one or more of these elements were out of balance. Hippocrates had the merit of describing the power of water and of identifying the origin and characteristics that contribute to knowledge of diseases arising from the environment, as distinct from those of human origin. He not only trusted the religion of the gods, but tried to coexist with it, teaching his students that Nature has its own life, which is not always tied to the supernatural and magic. The major problem of his studies was therefore to give medicine a theoretical instrument of effective explanation and a method of assessment that justified and upgraded the link between theory and experience. The development of the theory was seen as a new approach to medicine that was the forerunner of greater knowledge and the exchange of ideas with doctors operating outside COOS. Hippocrates therefore improved fundamental knowledge that was based on the tradition of religion, magic and observation of natural phenomena [1].The acronym COOS was coined to describe thermodynamic systems open to interactions with the outside, but that also maintain their own historical identity (ontic), because they are bound to the memory of their origins. The primary aim of this paper is to present COOS as a new thermodynamic model for understanding evolutionary dynamics that create new structures and enable complexity to emerge, increasing the information in a great variety of systems, more commonly known as living systems capable of self-organization. In order to achieve this, living systems need to...

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Salt-marshes as emergent novelties in the Venice Lagoon

Cited by 2 publications

References 9 publications

Ecosystem self-organization in the Venice Lagoon

Ecosystem self-organization in the Venice Lagoon

Confined Ontic Open Systems

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