GROWTH REGULATION
| Collection | International Encyclopedia of Systems and Cybernetics |
|---|---|
| Year | 2004 |
| Vol. (num.) | 2(1) |
| ID | ◀ 1495 ▶ |
| Object type | General information |
Numerous authors have observed that growth is in general in no way an anarchical phenomenon in systems.
The most frequent model is logistic growth.
C. WADDINGTON, for example, showed that growth goes with fluctuations around a basic trend, within a kind of guiding channel which he called a “chreod”.
However the precise mechanism and fundamental cause of growth regulation are still ill understood.
All systems seem to count with internal norms relative to their global and maximal dimensions as well as those of their different subsystems. But it is quite difficult to pinpoint the elements or groups of elements which are the bearers of these norms and how they command their more or less strict observance.
Moreover, while fluctuations are a result of the need to maintain the global and local equilibria of internal structures and functions, they are also correlated to environmental variations, significant for the system (as for example the seasonal growth of plants or the acceleration or decelaration due to climatic variations).
See for ex.: Circadian rhythms