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Cycling emergy: computing emergy in trophic networks

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  • Zarbá, Lucía
  • Brown, Mark T.

Abstract

While cycles are a very important phenomena of ecosystems, they represent a methodological challenge in emergy accounting. The relevance of feedbacks is acknowledged in emergy evaluations, however they are not considered by the emergy algebra. In this paper, we present supporting arguments in favor of an update in the emergy accounting methodology. We argue that including the contribution of feedback emergy is essential to understand a system's internal functioning, thus studies interested in better capturing these features should consider emergy cycling. Feedbacks represent emergy that entered the system in the past (therefore it is not double counting), and they enable additional organization and work above that supported by input emergy alone.

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  • Zarbá, Lucía & Brown, Mark T., 2015. "Cycling emergy: computing emergy in trophic networks," Ecological Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 315(C), pages 37-45.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:ecomod:v:315:y:2015:i:c:p:37-45
    DOI: 10.1016/j.ecolmodel.2015.02.019
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    Cited by:

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    4. Fonseca, Ana Margarida P. & Marques, Carlos A.F. & Pinto-Correia, Teresa & Guiomar, Nuno & Campbell, Daniel E., 2019. "Emergy evaluation for decision-making in complex multifunctional farming systems," Agricultural Systems, Elsevier, vol. 171(C), pages 1-12.
    5. Berrios, Fernando & Campbell, Daniel E. & Ortiz, Marco, 2017. "Emergy evaluation of benthic ecosystems influenced by upwelling in northern Chile: Contributions of the ecosystems to the regional economy," Ecological Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 359(C), pages 146-164.

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