Ecosystem and the Biosphere: Metaphors for Human-Induced Material Flows By: Brian Ponczak January 31, 2002 Sustainable Air Quality

Background Unnatural flows of materials by industrial and agricultural activities places stress on, and endangers the quality of the environment. Understanding anthropogenic material flows is a key to understanding sustainable development.

“Industrial Metabolism” is a metaphor for describing how biological organisms produce, consume, and waste materials in an ecosystem. The ecosystem and the environmental spheres system are analogues of the “industrial metabolism” concept.

The Ecosystem Analog Biological flow of materials is maintained by 3 groups: producers, consumers, and decomposers. The ecosystem relies on complete recycling of materials by decomposers The anthroposystem is similar to the ecosystem however, lacks complete recycling of materials, and is therefore considered an “open” system.

Ecosystem-Anthroposystem Comparison The ecosystem is a “closed” system (i.e.- complete recycling). This could be due to the natural physical proximity between producers, consumers, and decomposers. The anthroposystem is “open” partly due to the great distance between producers and consumers, and the overall lack of decomposers.

Mathematical models based on matrices can be used to the describe the physical transport of materials between producers, consumers, and decomposers. The ecosystem model does not address the placement of materials after the cycle has occurred.

Environmental Spheres Analog Materials on Earth are distributed between 4 environments: atmosphere, hydrosphere, lithosphere, biosphere. Atmosphere – Small storage capacity, great transporter of materials. Hydrosphere – A transporter and storage facility. Lithosphere – Soil and rock are mainly used as storage facilities for deposited matter. Biosphere – Includes human activities, responsible for energy and matter recycling, and changing chemical form of matter.

Summary Industrial organizations can be compared to biological systems that produce, consume, and decompose materials. The ecosystem provides a good explanation of the cycle of flow of materials. The environmental spheres analog explains where materials are deposited, in accordance with the law of conservation of matter.

What I have learned? The advantages and disadvantages of the ecosystem and environmental spheres analogues with regard to the “industrial metabolism” metaphor. The specific roles of each of the spheres in transporting and storing matter.