Rohde, Klaus

2005

A fascinating and potentially very fertile new approach for solving various scientific problems in mathematics, physics, cosmology, chemistry, biology, psychology and economics, to mention only the most important ones, is that pioneered by Stephan Wolfram. In the following, I give a brief outline of his "NKS" ("new kind of science") with emphasis on cellular automata; some of his conclusions concerning evolutionary biology; a comparison with other approaches; and an application of the method to some problems of ecology. The principles of NKS ("new kind of science") developed by Stephen Wolfram are discussed, with emphasis on cellular automata. Wolfram's conclusions concerning optimisation and the evolution of complexity in biological systems are outlined and compared with those from some other recent approaches. NKS is applied to some central problems of ecology, i.e. the possibility of establishing general ecological laws, the existence of vacant niches, the importance of interspecific competition and the causes of latitudinal gradients in species diversity.

Oikos, 110(1), p. 203-207

1600-0706

0030-1299

https://hdl.handle.net/1959.11/8505

Wiley-Blackwell Publishing Ltd

Cellular automata and ecology

Journal Article

Publication