ENVIRONMENT: Heterogeneity in space and,or time
| Collection | International Encyclopedia of Systems and Cybernetics |
|---|---|
| Year | 2004 |
| Vol. (num.) | 2(1) |
| ID | ◀ 1127 ▶ |
| Object type | General information |
In theory, an environment can be heterogeneous, i.e. patchy in space, but constant in time… or, conversely, be uniform in space, in some specific place, but heterogeneous in time…. and, of course, more or less heterogeneous both in space and time. (R. LEVINS, 1961, p.34).
S.R. REICE writes:“The environmental patchiness is based on physical and chemical gradients that are ubiquitous” (1994, p.427).
This ecological view can be applied as well to economic environments, for example.
Stability in time may allow for the survival of even quite narrowly adapted systems, while on the contrary the opposite demands for a great adaptive variety.
Growing exigences of a population on an environment may transform it in time, i.e. render it heterogeneous. In such cases, the population is creating hazards for itself.