Perspectives from energetic-thermodynamic analysis of land use systems: Perspektiven der energetisch-thermodynamischen analyse von landnutzungssystemen

Abstract

Intensive agricultural production leads to degradation of the environment and consequently to decrease of quality of agricultural products. Therefore, there is a need to develop a universal environmental index, which could give information about the ‘environmental quality’ of agricultural products. From the physical point of view environmental degradation can be linked with the concept of entropy and therefore the main goal of the project is: to develop a new method, based on thermodynamics theory of ecosystems, for evaluation of the environmental degradation caused by the intensification of agriculture and to support and ensure ecological and sustainable public policies for agricultural land use. In this project the Pimental theory of eco-energetic analysis of ecosystems will be used. For the analysis and balance of entropy of agricultural ecosystems in relation to the referenced (natural) ecosystem, the concept of ‘entropy pump’ will be used. The overproduction of entropy (not balanced by the ‘entropy pump’ and caused by additional anthropogenic energy added into the ecosystem) causes the environmental changes (mainly soil degradation). Thus, the entropy can be used as a parameter to develop an index of both environmental degradation or environmental sustainability.

Keywords:

• Thermodynamics
• Energy
• Entropy
• Ecosystem integrity
• Land use evaluation
• Sustainability
• Agro-ecosystem
• Land management