THERMODYNAMIC ASPECTS OF SPECIES-DIVERSITY IN TROPICAL AND ECTROPICALPLANT-COMMUNITIES

Comparative biodiversity analyses indicate for tropical rainforest sta nds that diversity increases with decreasing nutrient content of the r elated soils, while the inverse relationship holds for ectropical plan t communities. Thermodynamics of open systems and hierarchy theory pro vide the basis for a generalized understanding of these differences an d lead to the formulation of a unified triphase model of ecosystem evo lution.