Abstract: Ever since Boltzmann, life has been understood as a struggle for free energy. Dissipative living systems, such as ecological systems, are characterized by networks of external energy supply (ultimate constraint) and internal energy exchange (proximal constraint). However, it has remained unclear whether there are lower and upper bounds to these energy fluxes that can enhance the observability of these complex systems. Yet, this knowledge can establish a better understanding about the conditions leading to the emergence and persistence of life itself. Here, we introduce an energy-based formalism to quantify the feasibility of a given ecological system as a function of ultimate and proximal constraints. We show that high levels of external energy supply may not be a necessary condition for biodiversity, supporting the notion that proximal constraints can dominate the logic of complex living systems.
Speaker
Serguei Saavedra