ABSTRACT
Such interactions can be characterised by the properties listed in Table 3. Many of these features also function as prerequisites for self-organisation. For example, without the import of high quality energy, which can be transformed into mechanical work (exergyinput)^, without internal energy transformations and without the export o f non-usable energy (entropy-output), dissipative self-organisation would not appear. Furthermore, the parts have to be co-operative: there must be a network of interactions which develops on the basis of exergy degradation and simultaneous entropy production. In the course of the self-organisation process the qualities of the characteristics listed in Table 3 emerge, and their quantities in many cases increase with the developmental state o f the system. As these rules also come true in biological systems, many ecological properties can be derived from these general principles of systems analysis.
