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  1. Article ; Online: Maximum power in evolution, ecology and economics.

    Hall, Charles A S / McWhirter, Timothy

    Philosophical transactions. Series A, Mathematical, physical, and engineering sciences

    2023  Volume 381, Issue 2256, Page(s) 20220290

    Abstract: Ludwig Boltzmann suggested that natural selection was fundamentally a struggle among organisms for available energy. Alfred Lotka argued that organisms that capture and use more energy than their competition will have a selective advantage in the ... ...

    Abstract Ludwig Boltzmann suggested that natural selection was fundamentally a struggle among organisms for available energy. Alfred Lotka argued that organisms that capture and use more energy than their competition will have a selective advantage in the evolutionary process, i.e. the Darwinian notion of evolution was based on a fundamental, generalized energy principle. He extended this general principle from the energetics of a single organism or species to the energetics of entire energy pathways through ecosystems. Howard Odum and Richard Pinkerton, building on Lotka, extended this concept to 'The maximum power principle' and applied it to many biological and physical systems including human economies. We examine this history and how these ideas relate to concepts from other disciplines including philosophy. But there has been considerable confusion in understanding and applying these concepts which we attempt to resolve while providing various examples from routine life and discussing some unresolved issues. This article is part of the theme issue 'Thermodynamics 2.0: Bridging the natural and social sciences (Part 2)'.
    MeSH term(s) Male ; Humans ; Ecosystem ; Ecology ; Thermodynamics ; Biological Evolution
    Language English
    Publishing date 2023-08-14
    Publishing country England
    Document type Journal Article ; Review
    ZDB-ID 208381-4
    ISSN 1471-2962 ; 0080-4614 ; 0264-3820 ; 0264-3952 ; 1364-503X
    ISSN (online) 1471-2962
    ISSN 0080-4614 ; 0264-3820 ; 0264-3952 ; 1364-503X
    DOI 10.1098/rsta.2022.0290
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  2. Article: Enhancing the evaluation of Energy Investments by supplementing traditional discounted cash flow with Energy Return on Investment analysis

    Oosterom, Jan-Pieter / Hall, Charles A.S.

    Energy policy. 2022 Mar. 27,

    2022  

    Abstract: Energy companies, like companies more generally, routinely have to make investment decisions by comparing alternative investment projects. In the face of the uncertainty of the current energy transition, traditional economic tools, such as discounted ... ...

    Abstract Energy companies, like companies more generally, routinely have to make investment decisions by comparing alternative investment projects. In the face of the uncertainty of the current energy transition, traditional economic tools, such as discounted cash flow (DCF) analysis, that depend on long term cash forecasting, offer limited, deterministic and potentially misleading insights. Additionally there are many pressures on companies to expand decision making criteria to “ESG” (Environmental, Social and Governance) considerations. But these are often qualitative with no clear standards, leaving investors often forced to make significant investments based on poorly understood, at times misleading and even self-defeating considerations. We explore the application of Biophysical Economics (BPE), an approach to economics based on the natural sciences, as an alternative to provide an additional lens that cuts through the uncertainty and political pressures to help companies navigate this uncertainty and make more robust long term investment decisions. The most immediately useful tool within BPE is the concept of Energy Return on Energy Invested (EROI). Specifically we compare an investment case for oil companies, one in oil sands vs. one in microbial-enhanced oil recovery, applying the two methodologies in parallel. Results from a traditional economic perspective weakly favor the oil sands, whereas biophysical economics strongly favors the microbial case due to is significantly lower energy requirement to produce the energy that it yields. A close examination indicates that EROI can be used effectively and practically next to DCF to provide better insights and identify cases that are fundamentally less sustainable for society.
    Keywords energy ; energy policy ; governance ; oils ; politics ; uncertainty
    Language English
    Dates of publication 2022-0327
    Publishing place Elsevier Ltd
    Document type Article
    Note Pre-press version
    ISSN 0301-4215
    DOI 10.1016/j.enpol.2022.112953
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  3. Article ; Online: The Pace of Life: Metabolic Energy, Biological Time, and Life History.

    Brown, James H / Burger, Joseph R / Hou, Chen / Hall, Charles A S

    Integrative and comparative biology

    2022  

    Abstract: New biophysical theory and electronic databases raise the prospect of deriving fundamental rules of life, a conceptual framework for how the structures and functions of molecules, cells and individual organisms give rise to emergent patterns and ... ...

    Abstract New biophysical theory and electronic databases raise the prospect of deriving fundamental rules of life, a conceptual framework for how the structures and functions of molecules, cells and individual organisms give rise to emergent patterns and processes of ecology, evolution and biodiversity. This framework is very general, applying across taxa of animals from 10-10 g protists to 108 g whales, and across environments from deserts and abyssal depths to rain forests and coral reefs. It has several hallmarks: 1) Energy is the ultimate limiting resource for organisms and the currency of biological fitness. 2) Most organisms are nearly equally fit, because in each generation at steady state they transfer an equal quantity of energy (22.4 kJ/g) and biomass (1 g/g) to surviving offspring. This is the equal fitness paradigm (EFP) of Brown et al. (2018). 3) The enormous diversity of life histories is due largely to variation in metabolic rates (e.g., energy uptake and expenditure via assimilation, respiration and production) and biological times (e.g., generation time). As in standard allometric and metabolic theory, most physiological and life history traits scale approximately as quarter-power functions of body mass, m (rates as ∼m-1/4 and times as ∼m1/4), and as exponential functions of temperature. 4) Time is the fourth dimension of life. Generation time is the pace of life. 5) There is, however, considerable variation not accounted for by the above scalings and existing theories. Much of this "unexplained" variation is due to natural selection on life history traits to adapt the biological times of generations to the clock times of geochronological environmental cycles. 7) Most work on biological scaling and metabolic ecology has focused on respiration rate. The emerging synthesis applies conceptual foundations of energetics and the EFP to shift the focus to production rate and generation time.
    Language English
    Publishing date 2022-07-29
    Publishing country England
    Document type Journal Article
    ZDB-ID 2159110-6
    ISSN 1557-7023 ; 1540-7063
    ISSN (online) 1557-7023
    ISSN 1540-7063
    DOI 10.1093/icb/icac058
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  4. Book: Energy return on investment

    Hall, Charles A. S

    a unifying principle for biology, economics, and sustainability

    (Lecture notes in energy ; volume 36)

    2017  

    Title variant Prerequisite for Economic Growth and Sustainability
    Institution Springer International Publishing AG
    Author's details Charles A.S. Hall
    Series title Lecture notes in energy ; volume 36
    Language English
    Size xii, 174 Seiten, 54 Illustrationen, 10 Illustrationen, 23.5 cm x 15.5 cm, 0 g
    Publisher Springer
    Publishing place Cham
    Document type Book
    ISBN 3319478206 ; 9783319478203 ; 9783319478210 ; 3319478214
    Database ECONomics Information System

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  5. Article: Why ecological economics needs to return to its roots: The biophysical foundation of socio-economic systems

    Melgar-Melgar, Rigo E / Hall, Charles A.S

    Ecological economics. 2020 Mar., v. 169

    2020  

    Abstract: Ecological economics was formally established in 1989 with the ambitious vision of developing a new economic paradigm embedding the social and economic systems in the biophysical world. Ecological economics had its roots in the biophysical understanding ... ...

    Abstract Ecological economics was formally established in 1989 with the ambitious vision of developing a new economic paradigm embedding the social and economic systems in the biophysical world. Ecological economics had its roots in the biophysical understanding of economics that pioneers of the field Georgescu-Roegen (1971), Odum (1971), Daly (1977), Jansson (1984), Martinez-Alier (1987) and others developed while studying the thermodynamic bedrocks shared by natural and social systems. Subsequently, however, ecological economics has explicitly but controversially adopted a ‘big umbrella’ approach to methodological pluralism, focusing more on topics such as valuing nature and its functions rather than attempting to understand and quantify the biophysical roots of economic activities. Biophysical economics was established in response to these concerns, focusing more on developing analyses and models of the transformations of nature to generate wealth and approached mostly from an energy and material flows perspective. The present paper argues that to achieve its original vision ecological economics must return to its biophysical roots. Collaboration between the two fields will help the next generation of thinkers to address the socio-ecological challenges of the 21st century requiring an energy transformation called for by aspirations such as the Green New Deal and the UN Sustainable Development Goals.
    Keywords United Nations ; ecological economics ; economic systems ; energy conversion ; models ; multicultural diversity ; society ; socioeconomics ; sustainable development
    Language English
    Dates of publication 2020-03
    Publishing place Elsevier B.V.
    Document type Article
    ISSN 0921-8009
    DOI 10.1016/j.ecolecon.2019.106567
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  6. Article ; Online: Equal fitness paradigm explained by a trade-off between generation time and energy production rate.

    Brown, James H / Hall, Charles A S / Sibly, Richard M

    Nature ecology & evolution

    2018  Volume 2, Issue 2, Page(s) 262–268

    Abstract: Most plant, animal and microbial species of widely varying body size and lifestyle are nearly equally fit as evidenced by their coexistence and persistence through millions of years. All organisms compete for a limited supply of organic chemical energy, ... ...

    Abstract Most plant, animal and microbial species of widely varying body size and lifestyle are nearly equally fit as evidenced by their coexistence and persistence through millions of years. All organisms compete for a limited supply of organic chemical energy, derived mostly from photosynthesis, to invest in the two components of fitness: survival and production. All organisms are mortal because molecular and cellular damage accumulates over the lifetime; life persists only because parents produce offspring. We call this the equal fitness paradigm. The equal fitness paradigm occurs because: (1) there is a trade-off between generation time and productive power, which have equal-but-opposite scalings with body size and temperature; smaller and warmer organisms have shorter lifespans but produce biomass at higher rates than larger and colder organisms; (2) the energy content of biomass is essentially constant, ~22.4 kJ g
    MeSH term(s) Animals ; Archaea/physiology ; Bacterial Physiological Phenomena ; Biological Evolution ; Body Size ; Energy Metabolism ; Genetic Fitness ; Models, Biological ; Plant Physiological Phenomena ; Reproduction
    Language English
    Publishing date 2018-01-08
    Publishing country England
    Document type Journal Article ; Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
    ISSN 2397-334X
    ISSN (online) 2397-334X
    DOI 10.1038/s41559-017-0430-1
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  7. Article: A class exercise for Systems Ecology: Synthesis of stream energetics and testing Allen’s paradox

    Hall, Charles A.S / Adrian Wiegman / Andrew Brainard / Avriel Rose Diaz / Carolyn Huynh / Frances Knickmeyer / Jerry Mead

    Ecological modelling. 2018 Feb. 10, v. 369

    2018  

    Abstract: We report energy stocks and flows, as well as other ecosystem properties, measured in Little Sandy Creek in Upstate New York as part of an intensive class project in a graduate-level Systems Ecology course at the SUNY College of Environmental Science and ...

    Abstract We report energy stocks and flows, as well as other ecosystem properties, measured in Little Sandy Creek in Upstate New York as part of an intensive class project in a graduate-level Systems Ecology course at the SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry. Our study synthesizes information on Little Sandy Creek both as a whole system and through examination of key individual trophic components. We also test Allen’s paradox in Little Sandy Creek – whether there is enough biomass produced by the invertebrate community to support the energetic needs of the fish community. Students collected data in the field over the course of a weekend in September 2012. During the ensuing semester, we synthesized all of these data (often utilizing relatively simple quantitative models) to generate a spatial synthesis populated with trophic levels for a one kilometer reach of stream. We utilized two synthesizing procedures during our trophic flow analysis: first, we sampled organisms along a depth gradient, and modeled trophic levels and size class with depth to give more precise estimates of biomass. Second, we used models for the relation between production and also respiration (energy requirements) and organism size to estimate production and energy use of trophic levels and functional feeding groups. We synthesized and extrapolated upon our data with a numerical model that simulated the stocks and flows in Little Sandy Creek using abiotic forcing functions and functional responses derived from our field measurements. The mean values indicate the benthic macroinvertebrate production (11 kJ m−2 day−1) is insufficient to support the fish energy requirements (13 kJ m−2 day−1) within our uncertainty estimates; given an 80% assimilation efficiency for fish, the macroinvertebrate production is enough to supply only 68% of the fish needs. Our primary hypothesis was supported: students were able to thoroughly collect and organize data from Little Sandy Creek in a single weekend. Further, over the course of a semester, students successfully analyzed their data. We were then able to take that data and build a realistic model of the Little Sandy Creek system. Based on our model outputs, we fail to reject our secondary hypothesis that Allen’s paradox is present in Little Sandy Creek.
    Keywords biomass ; ecosystems ; energy ; energy requirements ; environmental science ; exercise ; fish ; fish communities ; forestry ; macroinvertebrates ; mathematical models ; streams ; students ; trophic levels ; uncertainty ; New York
    Language English
    Dates of publication 2018-0210
    Size p. 42-65.
    Publishing place Elsevier B.V.
    Document type Article
    ZDB-ID 191971-4
    ISSN 0304-3800
    ISSN 0304-3800
    DOI 10.1016/j.ecolmodel.2017.12.014
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    Z 77/705: Show issues

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  8. Article: Consumer preference for sustainable attributes in plants

    Yue, Chengyan / Behe, Bridget / Campbell, Ben / Dennis, Jennifer / Hall, Charles A. S / Khachatryan, Hayk

    Agribusiness : an internat. journal Vol. 32, No. 2 , p. 222-235

    evidence from experimental auctions

    2016  Volume 32, Issue 2, Page(s) 222–235

    Author's details Chengyan Yue (Department of Applied Economics and Department of Horticultural Sciences, University of Minnesota)Ben Campbell (Department of Agricultural and Resource Economics at the University of Connecticut); Charles Hall (Department of Horticultural Sciences at Texas A&M University); Bridget Behe (Horticulture Department at the Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI); Jennifer Dennis; Hayk Khachatryan (Food and Resource Economics Department and Mid-Florida Research and Education Center at the University of Florida)
    Language English
    Publisher Wiley
    Publishing place New York, NY [u.a.]
    Document type Article
    ZDB-ID 743656-7
    ISSN 0742-4477
    ISSN 0742-4477
    Database ECONomics Information System

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  9. Book: Energy and the wealth of nations

    Hall, Charles A. S / Klitgaard, Kent A

    understanding the biophysical economy

    2012  

    Author's details Charles A. S. Hall, Kent A. Klitgaard
    Keywords Power resources. ; Environmental economics. ; Sustainable development. ; Engineering. ; Engineering economy. ; Energy policy/Economic aspects.
    Language English
    Size xiv, 407 p. :, ill. (some col.) ;, 27 cm.
    Publisher Springer Verlag
    Publishing place New York, NY
    Document type Book
    ISBN 9781441993977 ; 1441993975
    Database NAL-Catalogue (AGRICOLA)

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  10. Book ; Online: Energy and the Wealth of Nations

    Hall, Charles A. S / Klitgaard, Kent A

    Understanding the Biophysical Economy

    2012  

    Author's details by Charles A. S. Hall, Kent A. Klitgaard
    Keywords Engineering ; Engineering economy ; Environmental economics ; Sustainable development
    Language English
    Size Online-Ressource, v.: digital
    Edition 1
    Publisher Springer New York
    Publishing place New York, NY
    Document type Book ; Online
    ISBN 9781441993977 ; 9781441993984 ; 1441993975 ; 1441993983
    DOI 10.1007/978-1-4419-9398-4
    Database Former special subject collection: coastal and deep sea fishing

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