| Title: | "Converting Ecological Currencies: Energy, Material, and Information Flows" |
| Author(s): | Marleau JN; Peller T; Guichard F; Gonzalez A; |
| Address: | "Department of Biology, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada. Electronic address: justin.marleau@mcgill.ca. Department of Biology, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada" |
| DOI: | 10.1016/j.tree.2020.07.014 |
| ISSN/ISBN: | 1872-8383 (Electronic) 0169-5347 (Linking) |
| Abstract: | "Understanding how the three currencies of life - energy, material, and information - interact is a key step towards synthesis in ecology and evolution. However, current theory focuses on the role of matter as a resource and energy, and typically ignores how the same matter can have other important effects as a carrier of information or modifier of the environment. Here we present the hypothesis that the dynamic conversion of matter by organisms among its three currencies mediates the structure and function of ecosystems, and that these effects can even supersede the effects of matter as a resource. Humans are changing the information in the environment and this is altering species interactions and flows of matter within and among ecosystems" |
| Keywords: | *Ecosystem Humans fluxes gradients meta-ecosystems non-trophic interactions resources semiochemicals; |
| Notes: | "MedlineMarleau, Justin N Peller, Tianna Guichard, Frederic Gonzalez, Andrew eng Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't Review England 2020/09/14 Trends Ecol Evol. 2020 Dec; 35(12):1068-1077. doi: 10.1016/j.tree.2020.07.014. Epub 2020 Sep 9" |
