DOES THE INTERMEDIATE DISTURBANCE HYPOTHESIS COMPLY WITH THERMODYNAMICS

A unique data set from Keszthely Bay, Lake Balaton has been applied to develop a dynamic structural model able to describe the observed chan ges in phytoplankton biomass and diversity. We tested whether the mode l reacts according to the Intermediate Disturbance Hypothesis and acco rding to the hypothesis that ecosystem reactions attempt to maximize t he thermodynamic function exergy under prevailing conditions. If the a nswer to these tests are confirmatory, it can be considered a support for IDH and for the use of the exergy maximization principle as a gene ral principle to explain ecosystem reactions.