Physical Sciences and Mathematics Commons^™

Information And Entropy Theory For The Sustainability Of Coupled Human And Natural Systems, Audrey L. Mayer, Richard P. Donovan, Christopher W. Pawlowski

College of Forest Resources and Environmental Science Publications

For coupled human and natural systems (CHANS), sustainability can be defined operationally as a feasible, desirable set of flows (material, currency, information, energy, individuals, etc.) that can be maintained despite internal changes and changes in the environment. Sustainable development can be defined as the process by which CHANS can be moved toward sustainability. Specific indicators that give insight into the structure and behavior of feedbacks in CHANS are of particular interest because they would aid in the sustainable management of these systems through an understanding of the structures that govern system behavior. However, the use of specific feedbacks as monitoring …