ABSTRACT
CHAPTER 5 This chapter presents a close connection between thermodynamics and mathematical theory of stability. Thermodynamic laws are applications of the direct Lyapunov methods to special dynamical systems which leads to a close relationship between the Second Law. of Thermodynamics and mathematical stability. The stability of the equilibrium is according to the Second Law of Thermodynamics, when the entropy is maximal, while the stable structure of a biological community is the consequence of interactions between populations. As any biological system is an open system, the total entropy is changed in an arbitrary way. The author discusses in this context the "old" phrase that communities richer in comprising species are more stable. He is able to demonstrate clearly that it cannot be the case from a mathematical/thermodynamic stability viewpoint, which is also the general ecological understanding today.
