SOIL FUNCTIONING IN BIOGEOCENOSES - APPROACHES TO DESCRIPTION AND ANALYSIS

Soil functioning in biogeocenoses is considered from the standpoint of nonequilibrium thermodynamics. It is argued that the growth of entrop y in stationary conditions is compensated by the inflow of free energy embodied in the litter of plants. The achievement of a stationary non equilibrium state by the soil and by the biogeocenosis as a whole is d escribed in terms of the optimal thermodynamic parameters of the proce ss. This state can be considered to be the aim of the process.