Journal
PHILOSOPHICAL TRANSACTIONS OF THE ROYAL SOCIETY B-BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
Volume 365, Issue 1545, Pages 1417-1427Publisher
ROYAL SOC
DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2009.0272
Keywords
free energy; living systems; evolution; dissipative systems; self-organization; information
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Funding
- NSF [OCE-0423565, CBET-0756562, EF-0928742]
- NASA Exobiology and Evolutionary Biology [NNG05GN61G]
- Direct For Biological Sciences
- Emerging Frontiers [0928742] Funding Source: National Science Foundation
- Directorate For Geosciences
- Division Of Ocean Sciences [1058747] Funding Source: National Science Foundation
- Division Of Ocean Sciences
- Directorate For Geosciences [0852289] Funding Source: National Science Foundation
- Div Of Chem, Bioeng, Env, & Transp Sys
- Directorate For Engineering [0756562] Funding Source: National Science Foundation
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We examine the application of the maximum entropy production principle for describing ecosystem biogeochemistry. Since ecosystems can be functionally stable despite changes in species composition, we use a distributed metabolic network for describing biogeochemistry, which synthesizes generic biological structures that catalyse reaction pathways, but is otherwise organism independent. Allocation of biological structure and regulation of biogeochemical reactions is determined via solution of an optimal control problem in which entropy production is maximized. However, because synthesis of biological structures cannot occur if entropy production is maximized instantaneously, we propose that information stored within the metagenome allows biological systems to maximize entropy production when averaged over time. This differs from abiotic systems that maximize entropy production at a point in space-time, which we refer to as the steepest descent pathway. It is the spatio-temporal averaging that allows biological systems to outperform abiotic processes in entropy production, at least in many situations. A simulation of a methanotrophic system is used to demonstrate the approach. We conclude with a brief discussion on the implications of viewing ecosystems as self-organizing molecular machines that function to maximize entropy production at the ecosystem level of organization.
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