Nelson Fernández edited Discusion.tex  almost 11 years ago

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The proposed measures characterize the different configurations and dynamics that elements of complex systems acquire through their interactions. That means, these measures capture the properties and tendencies of a system, that is why the scale at which they are described is appropriate.  They will not indicate which element interacted with which element, how and when. If we are interested in the properties and tendencies of the elements, we can change scale and apply the measures there. Still, we have to be aware that the measures are averaging—and thus simplifying—the phenomena they describe. Whether relevant information is lost on the averaging depends not only on the phenomenon, but on what kind of information we are.  On the above context, measuring complextiy at ecological systems is very useful due to Including interactions in ecological studies, for complexity understanding has been no easy. For example, it has been tried with global models that including the greatest number of variables, resulting also in serious deficiencies in predictability, especially for the limitation for the incorporation of all interactions ecosystem multi-elements and components (Moore et al. 2002). 2011).  Alternative forms of explain de complex dynamics have been trying with the assessment of attributes like resilience and robustness (Ulanowicz et al. 2009). Also, ecological complexity has been related with stability. This way, complexity characterization has been supported in variables such as species richness (number of species), connectance (fraction of the possible interspecific interactions), interaction strength (effect of one species’ density on the growth rate of another specie) and evenness (abundance variance). Meanwhile, stability has been related with resilience (velocity to return to the equilibrium), resistance (variable’ grade of change) and variability (population density variance) (Pimm, 1984). However, these interpretations of interactions are conducts to find an explanation of functional complexity, than the evaluation of how complex is an ecosystem.