Ensembles of Atoms, Ensembles of Species: Comparative Statistical Mechanics
The methods of statistical physics are exemplified in the classical perfect gas—each atom is a single dynamical entity. Such methods can be applied in ecology to the distribution of cosmopolitan species over many sites. The analogue of an atom is a class of species distinguished by the number of sit...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2020-05-01
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| Series: | Entropy |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/1099-4300/22/6/610 |
| _version_ | 1797566561882472448 |
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| author | Michael G. Bowler |
| author_facet | Michael G. Bowler |
| author_sort | Michael G. Bowler |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The methods of statistical physics are exemplified in the classical perfect gas—each atom is a single dynamical entity. Such methods can be applied in ecology to the distribution of cosmopolitan species over many sites. The analogue of an atom is a class of species distinguished by the number of sites at which it occurs, hardly a material entity; yet, the methods of statistical physics nonetheless seem applicable. This paper compares the application of statistical mechanics to the distribution of atoms and to the vastly different problem of distribution of cosmopolitan species. A number of different approaches show that these distributed entities must be in some sense equivalent; the dynamics must be controlled by interaction between species and the global environment rather than between species and many uncorrelated local environments. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T19:29:35Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-5c4c583616b14b878b02250db66a52af |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1099-4300 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T19:29:35Z |
| publishDate | 2020-05-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Entropy |
| spelling | doaj.art-5c4c583616b14b878b02250db66a52af2023-11-20T02:16:40ZengMDPI AGEntropy1099-43002020-05-0122661010.3390/e22060610Ensembles of Atoms, Ensembles of Species: Comparative Statistical MechanicsMichael G. Bowler0Department of Physics, University of Oxford, Keble Road, Oxford OX1 3RH, UKThe methods of statistical physics are exemplified in the classical perfect gas—each atom is a single dynamical entity. Such methods can be applied in ecology to the distribution of cosmopolitan species over many sites. The analogue of an atom is a class of species distinguished by the number of sites at which it occurs, hardly a material entity; yet, the methods of statistical physics nonetheless seem applicable. This paper compares the application of statistical mechanics to the distribution of atoms and to the vastly different problem of distribution of cosmopolitan species. A number of different approaches show that these distributed entities must be in some sense equivalent; the dynamics must be controlled by interaction between species and the global environment rather than between species and many uncorrelated local environments.https://www.mdpi.com/1099-4300/22/6/610statistical mechanicsstochastic processesalien species distributions |
| spellingShingle | Michael G. Bowler Ensembles of Atoms, Ensembles of Species: Comparative Statistical Mechanics Entropy statistical mechanics stochastic processes alien species distributions |
| title | Ensembles of Atoms, Ensembles of Species: Comparative Statistical Mechanics |
| title_full | Ensembles of Atoms, Ensembles of Species: Comparative Statistical Mechanics |
| title_fullStr | Ensembles of Atoms, Ensembles of Species: Comparative Statistical Mechanics |
| title_full_unstemmed | Ensembles of Atoms, Ensembles of Species: Comparative Statistical Mechanics |
| title_short | Ensembles of Atoms, Ensembles of Species: Comparative Statistical Mechanics |
| title_sort | ensembles of atoms ensembles of species comparative statistical mechanics |
| topic | statistical mechanics stochastic processes alien species distributions |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/1099-4300/22/6/610 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT michaelgbowler ensemblesofatomsensemblesofspeciescomparativestatisticalmechanics |