Chapter 4 Ecosystems and social systems as complex adaptive systems
Introduction
4-1 Hierarchical organization and emergent properties
4-2 Self-organization
4-3 Stability domains
4-4 Complex system cycles
Introduction
1. Complex adaptive systems
(1) Complex: many parts and many connections between the parts
(2) Adaptive: their feedback structure gives them the ability to change
2. Emergent properties
(1) Distinctive features and behavior that emerge from the way those complex
adaptive systems are organized
(2) Examples: Self-organization, stability domains, complex system cycles
4-1 Hierarchical organization and emergent properties
1. Hierarchical organization: from molecules to ecosystems
2. Emergent properties: distinct behaviors at different level of organization
(1) Individual organism: growth, development of different tissues and organs,
homeostasis, reproduction and death. Emotions: fear, anger, anxiety, hate,
happiness and love.
(2) Population: growth, regulation, development, social organization, carrying
capacity
(3) Ecosystem: food supply (biological production and food web)
3. Counterintuitive: sometimes do the opposite of what we expect
(1) Example: public housing in US → move from rural to city → ghettos
(2) Example: putting out forest fire → more fire damage
(3) Ecosystem and social system are sometimes counterintuitive because they are
not easily understood by people at different level of organization
4. Emergent properties of social systems
(1) Distortion of information: “telephone” game
(2) Denial: refusal to recognize the truth when it conflicts with existing beliefs.
Example: colonialism, environmental degradation, …
(3) Bureaucracy: not effective at dealing with unusual situations
4-2 Self-organization
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1. Why do all the different parts of an ecosystem fit together so well?
2. Self-organization of biological communities
(1) Biological community: plants, animals and microorganisms
(2) Community assembly: joining or fitting parts together
(3) Community assembly rules:
a. Adapt to the physical conditions
b. The site has the right kind of food, enough food and water
c. Deaths cannot exceed births
(4) Example: a coastal island (fig. 4.1, fig. 4.2)
3. Self-organization of social systems
(1) Example: survival business rules
a. Adapt to the community
b. Demand for the products or services of the business
c. Can generate enough customers to produce a profit
d. Has good supply source
(2) Biological evolution vs. genetic mutations; human cultures vs. new ideas
(3) Human cultural mutations can be faster than biological evolution.
4-3 Stability domains
1. Switching: negative feedback vs. positive feedback; stable vs. change
2. Stability domains: examples (fig. 4.3, fig. 4.4)
3. Social system state: everything about a society at a particular place and time. Soviet
Union → Russia
4. Ecosystem state: sum total of every part of an ecosystem. External disturbance.
4-4 Complex system cycles
1. Ecosystems and social systems change in two ways: internal self-organizing
assembly process and external disturbance (switch)
2. Complex system cycle: progressive and sudden change (fig. 4.5)
3. Ecosystem or social system changes from one stability domain to another (fig. 4.6)
4. Carrying capacity (equilibrium) vs. population crash (dissolution) Ex: insect
5. Ecosystem complex system cycles: ecological succession
6. Social system complex system cycles:
(1) Scale from club to nations; time from few months to centuries
(2) Ex: Japan social system complex system cycle
(3) Policies can change dramatically during social system cycles
(4) We often make the mistake of assuming that the existing situation will last
(5) A effective society has the ability to function during all four stages.
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