第一章 大道至简
第二章 万物皆数
第三章 从数到熵
第四章 从熵到自由能
第五章 从自由能最小化到生态化学热力学软件（非生物部分：ETS-1）
第六章 海洋化学系统（ETS-1应用）
第七章 土壤化学系统（ETS-1应用）
第八章 生物耗散结构与负熵
第九章 从熵减到生物自由能最大化
第十章 生态系统热力学数学模型
第十一章 自强不息的微生物
第十二章 影响植物生长的因子—优化植物生境
第十三章 海洋生态热力学模型
第十四章 从熵到人性：生态德育
第十五章 从生物能量最大原理到盖娅学说：生物对气温的影响
第十六章 生态系统：生物与非生物相互作用
第十七章 微控与控微
第十八章 未来生态地球
第十九章 人为固碳
《生态热力学》简介与学科建设计划
一、《生态热力学》简介
二、《生态热力学》学科特点
三、为什么要创建《生态热力学》这一学科？
四、学科发展目标
五、《生态热力学》对环境、生态、海洋、碳中和（碳负排放）等相关专业学生的教育意义。
六、《生态热力学》相关研究专题
七、《生态热力学》学科建设的可行性；
八、年度计划
一、《生态热力学》简介
生态系统是由非生物物质（水、气、离子、有机分子、络合物、矿物、胶体、人工合成化合物）和生物（微生物、植物、动物、人类）组成的相互作用的系统。《生态热力学》是一门以平衡热力学和非平衡热力学为基础的、将生物和非生物放在热力学框架下研究生态系统物质流和能量流的科学；是一门从定性认识到宏观热力学变量定量描述生物—非生物相互作用的科学，是一门对于生态建设、固碳技术、污染治理、农林种植、海洋生态全球变化研究具有重要指导意义的科学，内容包括：
• 大道至简、演化至繁的道理，即数→熵→自由能→非生物物质能量最小化→生物能量最大化→生态应用的基本思路；
• 多组分、多相非生物物质体系化学平衡、相平衡计算和软件开发应用，计算地球化学物质的化学形态、迁移性、分配、生物有效性、生物毒性等；
• 不可逆非平衡热力学、涨落理论，生物自由能最大化原理及其在定性和定量方面的应用；
• 生物固碳和非生物固碳基础理论和方法；
• 以非平衡热力学为基础，热力学参数为变量，建立生物与环境因子、养分因子之间的函数关系，生物—生物之间的竞争、偏利共生、偏害共生、捕食、互利之间的关系；
• 陆地土壤—植被系统、海洋生态系统生物种群的建模方法和在海洋固碳方面的应用；
• 生态系统“微控和控微”，相关概念和方法；
• 人类主宰的未来生态地球的设想。
二、《生态热力学》学科特点
• 热力学+生态化学+计算科学相结合的交叉学科；
• 试图用定量模型计算生物—非生物相互作用的科学；
• 描述生物与环境因子、营养因子函数关系的科学；
• 试图将生态学上升到定量数字化研究的科学；
• 以计算模拟为主，以野外试验、观测为辅的理论和实践相结合的科学；
• 具有重要应用价值的科学：指导生态修复、生态建设、植树造林、农业种植、生态多样性、海洋生态、污染生物防治等。
• 是一门跨越经典热力学和不可逆热力学、无机与有机、非生物与生物的创新学科；
• 是生态学、环境化学、海洋化学、土壤学、农艺学、生物地球化学、固碳化学专业的大学生或研究生的基础学科。
三、为什么要建《生态热力学》这一学科？
1. 《生态热力学》是热力学从非生物体系向生物体系的自然延伸，也是生态学从现象描述向用热力学变量模拟的延伸，而驱动这两种延伸的是一个统一的变量——熵，体现了“大道至简”的道理（见第一章），也是老子说的“道生一”。前人（Gibbs）从“熵”出发通过热力学第0、一、二、三定律推导了自由能最低原理（见第四章），该原理适合于所有的非生物物质（包括死去的生物）在热力学水平上的变化规律，因而在非生物物质体系和应用领域（如化工、冶金、制药、纳米、炼油、岩矿、地球化学（非生物部分）、环境治理（非生物部分））得到广泛的应用，但该原理不能用于生物体系。本书通过不可逆热力学原理和涨落理论推导了远离平衡体系生物不可逆热力学原理，也就是说，从“熵”出发推导了两个原理，者也印证了老子说的“一生二”的道理。前一个原理演绎了非生物物质化分、化合、水化、络合、氧化还原、溶解、沉淀、相变等各式各样的变化，后一个原理解释了数以千万计的生物演化的动机和动力，这也是老子说的都“三生万物 ，万物负阴而抱阳，冲气以为和”的道理。以上两种原理耦合在一起自然形成了《生态热力学》的统一理论基础，具有完整性和系统性。这两个原理不难理解，就是常说的”水往低处流，人往高处走“的道理。也就是说，《生态热力学》是从熵出发推导的两个原理基础上自然产生的交叉学科。”
2. 有了上述两个原理做基础，则有可能从一个新的角度去理解生物的行为和演化规律，也有可能将生物的生长繁衍表达成热力学宏观变量（温度、压力、离子强度、pH、各种养分的活度）的函数，从而使定性描述逐渐走向半定量或定量计算（模型化）。热力学变量是分子、离子等微观粒子集体行为的平均结果，相对来说易于观测，更全面反映总体变化。自由能最低原理至今仍然广泛应用于冶金、化工、纳米、地化......等多有非生物物质科学领域，取得巨大成果，如今生态化学、海洋化学、固碳化学......，仍然离不开这一原理作指导，然而，生态、固碳、环境、海洋科学必然包括“生物”这一主角。作为一种尝试《生态热力学》先利用生物能量最大化原理定性分析微生物（第11章）、植物（第12章）、动物（待写）、人类（第14章）的行为，然后在此基础上，试图建立模型定量描述生物生长繁殖和环境因子、营养因子以及生物—生物之间的定量函数关系（第10、13、15、17、19章），与此同时，必须计算非生物物质的生物有效性，存在形态、迁移机理等。同其它模型都一样，欲建的模型必然会有需要观测的数据才能确定的参数，这个过程可能是冗长的，但是随着数据的积累，参数会越来越接近实际，模型会变得越来越有预测性，从而可以用来指导生态建设、固碳减排、治理污染、农业增产，研究气候与生物之间的关系，人与自然如何相处等。
3. 生态系统是在一定的生境条件下（温度、湿度、光照、CO2浓度、pH、Eh、养分）生物与非生物物质相互作用的系统。完整地认知生态系统需要同时考虑生物—生物、 生物—非生物、非生物—非生物之间的定量关系。当今，分子生物学研究正在取得日新月异的进展，细胞和组织水平上的研究也随着生命科学的发展快速进步，为生态学研究带来重要的启示。但是由于上涌性原理，生物分子、细胞、组织水平上的研究难以直接描述生物与环境变量、养分活度、污染物之间的定量函数关系，应该通过热力学宏观变量来回答这样的问题：比如：
• 茶叶产量与气温、土温、空气中CO2浓度、土壤湿度、PH值、土壤有机质含量、Fe、Zn、Se有效浓度之间的定量关系。把减产简单地归因于气温变换恐怕是不对的（2021年多家媒体都这样报道）。
• 海洋浮游植物生长与环境因子、营养因子的函数关系？如何提高海洋生物固碳能力？
• 如何定量分析优势树种的“优势因子”？如何微控优势因子使优势树种与其它树种协同生长，增加生物多样性？
• 如何“微控"天然林的生物质降解、减少排放、减少火灾？
• 如何定量计算区分养分的总浓度和有效浓度（二者可能相差很多数量级）？
• 如何增加土壤固碳能力？（既如何执行4‰方案？）
• 影响油茶产量的主要环境因子（气温、光照、温度、pH）、养分因子（TN、TP、NO3-、NH4+、HPO42-、H2PO4-、Fe3+、Fe2+ ......）和限制（短板）因子是什么关系，定量或非定量函数关系？同样的问题可以推广到所有其他的单一植物群落，如油桐、蓝莓、杨梅、水杉、楠竹、马尾松、银杏、榕树、杜仲、牧草、青稞....，将油茶适合于酸性土壤这样的简单定性的结论定量化，更全面的科学回答。《生态热力学》根据生物最大化原理提出半经验数学模式，希望五年内对几种物种植物参数化，十年内对一百种植物参数化，二十年内对一万种主要植物参数化，在生态恢复和建设、农业种植、气温变化研究、生物治污等方面具有很大的价值。
• 因为生物多样性有利于生态稳定，那么，在生态恢复和植树造林中怎样选择几种或多种植物套种？在生态替演中怎样适当控制优势树种避免成为单一树种？
• 给定一个气候条件和一块土壤，能否从一个应用软件中找到最佳树种进行搭配？
• 海洋生物固碳：控制海洋浮游植物生长的环境因子定量关系和限制因子的阈值？
• 海洋生物固碳：从浅海到深海生物的生境条件，微生物与有机质、NO3-、SO42-、Fe3+、MnO2、CH4、H2S之间的定量关系，如何根据热力学数据进行预测？
• 怎样通过生物方法控制或去除土壤污染元素Hg、Cd、AS、Cr、Pb？
• 怎样建模计算微量元素在土壤和植物之间的分配？使农户在中、低污染土壤种出合格粮果蔬？使食者放心？
• 在全球气候变化中，CO2和生物演化的因果关系分析？
• 是否有可能建立数学框架体系，从海量遥感、卫星、监测、云数据中抽象出生态生物量、初级生产率与气候、环境因子之间的关系？
• 升温使青藏高原粮食作物减产吗?是否还有其他因素？如空气CO2浓度、土壤PH值.....?
• 根据2021年《环球日报》报道，德国11万公顷黑森死亡，认为是气温变暖1℃造成的？这个结论可靠吗？
《生态热力学》通过耦合非生物物质自由能最小原理和生物非平衡热力学原理，定量化描述生物、生物与环境因子、营养因子以生物—生物之间的函数关系，逐步认知和回答诸如以上这样的生态学问题。
四、学科发展目标
1. 为环境化学、碳中和、海洋化学、生态学、农技学、园艺学专业的大学生或研究生提供一门专业基础课。
2. 完善非生物自由能最小化原理——生物非平衡热力学原理耦合的热力学理论，通过这两个原理的耦合，建立跨越无机—有机，非生物—生物，自然—人文科学的理论，为未来美丽生态地球建设打下一些理论基础。
3. 建立以热力学参数为变量的一些主要植物、微生物与环境因子、养分因子之间的数学关系模型，用数学关系式表达一些生物—生物之间的竞争、偏害共生、偏利共生、捕食、寄生、互利关系。实现0到1的突破，并建立相关理论。
4. 在陆地和海洋非生物固碳（CCS）以及生物固碳理论和方法上实现重大创新突破。
5. 开发出一个国际上领先的生态化学计算软件，包括非生物部分ETS-1和生物—非生物相互作用部分ETS-2（详见五、六、七、十、十三章）。
6. 建立一个生态恢复野外教研试验基地。
7. 带动若干个科研项目开展并不断完善这一学科，实现多学科交叉融合。
8. 10年培养博士生或硕博连读生15~20名，发表有影响力论文30篇。
9. 10~15年内成为世界一流的学科。
五、《生态热力学》对环境、生态、碳中和（碳负排放）、海洋等相关专业学生的教育意义。
通过《生态热力学》的授课和相关科研工作的训练，使环境化学、生态化学、海洋化学或固碳专业相关的大学生或研究生在以下几个方面取得较大的进步：
1. 掌握从“大道”熵—自由能—热力学定量模型—参数化—软件—生态定量研究的基本思路（第一、二、三、四、五章）；提高学生的思辨和创新思维能力。
2. 探索与掌握热力学和不可逆热力学中的基本概念，定律和计算方法（第四、八、九章）。
3. 掌握为“碳达峰、碳中和”而人为固碳的相关理论和方法。
4. 学会开发并利用软件计算海洋化学和土壤化学相互问题（第六、七章）。
5. 学会利用相关原理认知微生物、植物和人类的行为（第十一、十二和十四章）。
6. 了解怎样从定性描述上升到定量计算，研究非生物—非生物物质，生物—非生物、生物与生物之间的相互作用（第十、十三、十七章）。
7. 了解怎样根据生物自由能最大化原理建立数学模型，定量描述陆地植物、海洋浮游植物的生长生物量与环境因子和营养因子之间的函数关系。这一研究工作的工作量很大，但将大大提高生态系统的定量化研究。待到数以千计的植物、微生物模型参数化以后，可用于指导生态恢复和建设、农业种植、气温变化研究、污染防治和生物多样性研究(第十、十三、第十五章)。
8. 理解和认知生态修复、建设、管理中的“微控与控微”原理和思维方式（第十七章）。
9. 《生态热力学》（第十八章）提出了“未来美丽生态地球由人类主宰”的观点。（The future heaven is on the Earth shaped by humans)，我知道这种观点一定遭致很多人批评。我不知道人死去以后所去的天堂是什么样，但未来的美丽地球是人类创造的。我抛砖引玉做了一点设想。希望学生们在课程结束后写一篇2500字左右的文章“我想像中的未来美丽生态地球”，希望充分利用本学科学过的知识，充分发挥自己的想象力，我们将与科幻作者、电影人合作，制作一部电影。
六、《生态热力学》相关研究专题
1. 生态热力学原创理论的研究(见第八、九、十章），将进一步通过热力学、不可逆热力学、涨落理论、分子生物学的交叉融合，深入研究生物—非生物相互作用的宏观热力学表象和微观机理。率先提出有关生物—非生物作用相关理论。
2. 开发世界领先的ETS-1软件（详见5、6、7章和《流体地球化学》中的相关内容），该软件将克服目前世界上使用最广的PHREEQC的诸多缺点而成为世界第一，在该软件中不断提升并产生出新的基本过程中，可以培养大学生或研究生的定量计算能力、科学数字化能力。现已开发了重要的基础软件EFS。
3. “碳达峰、碳中和”三端发力之一的固碳相关研究课题（详见第十九章和《流体地球化学》中的第十六章）。通过这些课题的研究，将在固碳理论和方法上实现原创性的突破。
4. 开发生态系统生物自由能最大化数字模型ETS-2,以一两个生物种群为例，模拟生物生长繁殖数量（生物量或生物生长速率）与环境因子（温度、湿度、PH等、CO2浓度、光照），养分活度因子（N、P、Fe、K、Zn、Cu......）之间的函数关系（见10、13、15章）。
过去人们通常进行单变量或定性研究，如2021年《中国科学报》报道的气温对茶叶产量影响的报道；中科院、北大、美国某机构合作的青藏高原气温对粮食产量影响的报道。我们希望在《生态热力学》理论模型指导下，实现多变量研究，并取得突破，实现学科的发展，并最终建设对生态建设、生物固碳、农业生产有重要意义的生态数字软件ETS-2。
5. 研究“微控和控微”在生态建设中的作用（第十七章）。
6. 研究“人”在生态系统中的地位和作用，研究人类如何建设美丽健康的地球。
总之，通过上述专题的持之以恒的深入研究，不仅可以促进生态理论的原创，促使生态定型研究上升到定量研究，而且在生态恢复和建设、固碳方法和技术方面实现突破。
Chapter 1 The Great Way Is Simplicity
Chapter 2 All Things Are Numbers
Chapter 3 From Number to Entropy
Chapter 4 From Entropy to Free Energy
Chapter 5 From Free-Energy Minimization to Eco-Chemical Thermodynamics Software (Abiotic Part: ETS-1)
Chapter 6 Marine Chemical Systems (Application of ETS-1)
Chapter 7 Soil Chemical Systems (Application of ETS-1)
Chapter 8 Biological Dissipative Structures and Negative Entropy
Chapter 9 From Entropy Reduction to the Maximization of Biological Free Energy
Chapter 10 Mathematical Thermodynamic Models of Ecosystems
Chapter 11 The Unceasing Vitality of Microorganisms
Chapter 12 Factors Affecting Plant Growth: Optimizing Plant Habitats
Chapter 13 Marine Ecological Thermodynamic Models
Chapter 14 From Entropy to Human Nature: Ecological Moral Education
Chapter 15 From the Principle of Maximum Biological Energy to the Gaia Hypothesis: The Influence of Life on Climate
Chapter 16 Ecosystems: Interactions Between Biotic and Abiotic Components
Chapter 17 Micro-Regulation and Regulation of the Micro
Chapter 18 The Ecologically Sustainable Earth of the Future
Chapter 19 Anthropogenic Carbon Sequestration
Introduction to Ecological Thermodynamics and the Plan for Discipline Development
I. Introduction to Ecological Thermodynamics
II. Disciplinary Characteristics of Ecological Thermodynamics
III. Why Develop Ecological Thermodynamics?
IV. Goals for Disciplinary Development
V. Educational Significance of Ecological Thermodynamics for Students in Environment, Ecology, Oceanography, Carbon Neutrality (Carbon-Negative Emissions), and Related Fields
VI. Research Topics Related to Ecological Thermodynamics
VII. Feasibility of Building the Discipline of Ecological Thermodynamics
VIII. Annual Plan
I. Introduction to Ecological Thermodynamics
An ecosystem is an interacting system composed of abiotic substances (water, gases, ions, organic molecules, complexes, minerals, colloids, and synthetic compounds) and organisms (microorganisms, plants, animals, and humans). Ecological Thermodynamics is a science grounded in equilibrium thermodynamics and nonequilibrium thermodynamics that studies material flow and energy flow in ecosystems by placing both biotic and abiotic components within a unified thermodynamic framework. It is a science that progresses from qualitative understanding to quantitative description of biotic–abiotic interactions in terms of macroscopic thermodynamic variables. It is also a science that has major guiding significance for ecological restoration, carbon sequestration technologies, pollution control, agriculture and forestry, and research on marine ecology and global change. Its content includes:
• the principle that great truths are simple while evolution leads to complexity, the fundamental line of reasoning from number → entropy → free energy → energy minimization in abiotic matter → energy maximization in living systems → ecological applications;
• chemical equilibrium and phase-equilibrium calculations, together with software development and applications, for multicomponent and multiphase abiotic material systems, enabling the calculation of chemical speciation, mobility, partitioning, bioavailability, and biotoxicity of geochemical substances;
• irreversible nonequilibrium thermodynamics, fluctuation theory, the principle of maximum biological free energy, and their qualitative and quantitative applications;
• the basic theories and methods of both biotic and abiotic carbon sequestration;
• the establishment, on the basis of nonequilibrium thermodynamics and with thermodynamic parameters as variables, of functional relationships between organisms and environmental factors, between organisms and nutrient factors, and among organisms themselves in competition, commensalism, amensalism, predation, and mutualism;
• modeling methods for terrestrial soil–vegetation systems and marine ecosystem populations, together with their application to marine carbon sequestration;
• the concepts and methods of “micro-regulation and regulation of the micro” in ecosystems;
• conceptions of a future ecological Earth shaped by human stewardship.
II. Characteristics of the Discipline of Ecological Thermodynamics
• An interdisciplinary field integrating thermodynamics, ecological chemistry, and computational science;
• A science that attempts to calculate biotic–abiotic interactions through quantitative models;
• A science that describes functional relationships of organisms with environmental and nutrient factors;
• A science that seeks to elevate ecology to a quantitative and digital mode of inquiry;
• A discipline that combines theory and practice, emphasizing computational simulation while supplemented by field experiments and observations;
• A science of major applied value for ecological restoration, ecological engineering, afforestation, agricultural cultivation, biodiversity, marine ecology, and biological pollution control;
• An innovative discipline spanning classical thermodynamics and irreversible thermodynamics, inorganic and organic matter, and abiotic and biotic systems;
• A foundational discipline for undergraduate and graduate students in ecology, environmental chemistry, marine chemistry, soil science, agronomy, biogeochemistry, and carbon sequestration chemistry.
III. Why Establish the Discipline of Ecological Thermodynamics?
1.
Ecological Thermodynamics is the natural extension of thermodynamics from abiotic systems to biotic systems, and also the extension of ecology from phenomenological description to simulation with thermodynamic variables. What drives both extensions is a unified variable—entropy—which reflects the principle that “the Great Way is simple” (see Chapter 1), and also Laozi’s idea that “the Dao gives birth to One.”
Beginning from entropy, earlier scholars such as Gibbs derived, through the zeroth, first, second, and third laws of thermodynamics, the principle of minimum free energy (see Chapter 4). This principle applies to the thermodynamic laws governing all abiotic substances, including dead organisms, and has therefore been widely used in abiotic material systems and their fields of application, such as chemical engineering, metallurgy, pharmaceuticals, nanoscience, petroleum refining, petrology and mineralogy, geochemistry (abiotic aspects), and environmental remediation (abiotic aspects). However, this principle cannot be directly applied to living systems.
This book derives, from the principles of irreversible thermodynamics and fluctuation theory, the irreversible thermodynamic principle of biological systems far from equilibrium. In other words, beginning from entropy, it derives two principles, thus also echoing Laozi’s idea that “One gives birth to Two.” The former principle explains the many transformations of abiotic substances—decomposition, synthesis, hydration, complexation, redox reactions, dissolution, precipitation, and phase transitions. The latter principle explains the motives and driving forces behind the evolution of countless living organisms. This also resonates with Laozi’s statement that “Two gives birth to Three, and Three gives birth to all things. All things carry the yin and embrace the yang, and through the blending of qi they achieve harmony.”
The coupling of these two principles naturally forms the unified theoretical foundation of Ecological Thermodynamics, giving the discipline integrity and systematic coherence. These two principles are not difficult to understand; they correspond, in ordinary terms, to the idea that “water flows downward, while people strive upward.” In this sense, Ecological Thermodynamics is an interdisciplinary discipline that arises naturally from two principles both derived from entropy.
2.
With these two principles as a foundation, it becomes possible to understand biological behavior and evolutionary regularities from a new perspective, and also to express biological growth and reproduction as functions of macroscopic thermodynamic variables such as temperature, pressure, ionic strength, pH, and the activities of various nutrients. In this way, qualitative description may gradually develop into semi-quantitative or quantitative calculation—that is, into modeling.
Thermodynamic variables are average manifestations of the collective behavior of microscopic particles such as molecules and ions. They are relatively easy to observe and provide a more comprehensive reflection of overall system change. The principle of minimum free energy continues to be widely applied in many abiotic sciences, including metallurgy, chemical engineering, nanoscience, and geochemistry, and has achieved great success. Today, ecological chemistry, marine chemistry, and carbon sequestration chemistry likewise still depend on this principle for guidance. Yet ecology, carbon sequestration, environmental science, and marine science must inevitably include the principal actor of “life.”
As an initial attempt, Ecological Thermodynamics first applies the principle of maximum biological energy to qualitatively analyze the behavior of microorganisms (Chapter 11), plants (Chapter 12), animals (to be written), and humans (Chapter 14). On this basis, it then seeks to establish models that quantitatively describe the functional relationships among biological growth and reproduction, environmental factors, nutrient factors, and biotic–biotic interactions (Chapters 10, 13, 15, 17, and 19). At the same time, it is necessary to calculate the bioavailability, forms of occurrence, and migration mechanisms of abiotic substances.
Like any other model, the models to be developed will inevitably contain parameters that must be determined through observation. This process may be lengthy, but as data accumulate, the parameters will increasingly approach reality, and the models will become more predictive. They may then be used to guide ecological construction, carbon sequestration and emission reduction, pollution remediation, increased agricultural productivity, research on climate–biosphere relationships, and the relationship between humans and nature.
3.
An ecosystem is a system in which living organisms and abiotic substances interact under specific habitat conditions, including temperature, humidity, light, CO2 concentration, pH, redox potential, and nutrients. A complete understanding of ecosystems requires simultaneous consideration of the quantitative relationships among biotic–biotic, biotic–abiotic, and abiotic–abiotic interactions.
At present, molecular biology is making rapid advances, and research at the cellular and tissue levels is progressing quickly along with the development of life sciences, offering important inspiration for ecological research. However, owing to the principle of emergence, studies at the levels of biomolecules, cells, and tissues cannot directly describe the quantitative functional relationships between organisms and environmental variables, nutrient activities, or pollutants. Such questions should instead be addressed through macroscopic thermodynamic variables. For example:
• What is the quantitative relationship between tea yield and air temperature, soil temperature, atmospheric CO2 concentration, soil moisture, pH, soil organic matter content, and the effective concentrations of Fe, Zn, and Se? It is likely incorrect to attribute yield reduction simply to temperature change, although many media reports did so in 2021.
• What are the functional relationships between marine phytoplankton growth and environmental and nutrient factors? How can marine biotic carbon sequestration be enhanced?
• How can the “dominance factors” of dominant tree species be quantitatively analyzed? How can these factors be micro-regulated so that dominant tree species and other species grow synergistically, thereby increasing biodiversity?
• How can the biodegradation of biomass in natural forests be “micro-regulated” so as to reduce emissions and lower fire risk?
• How can one quantitatively distinguish between the total concentration and the effective concentration of nutrients, which may differ by several orders of magnitude?
• How can the carbon-sequestration capacity of soils be increased? In other words, how can the “4 per 1000” initiative be implemented?
• What are the relationships, whether quantitative or semi-quantitative, among the principal environmental factors affecting the yield of oil tea (Camellia oleifera)—such as air temperature, light, moisture, and pH—the nutrient factors such as TN, TP, NO3-, NH4+, HPO42-, H2PO4-, Fe3+, Fe2+, and the limiting factors? The same question can be extended to all other single-species plant communities, such as tung tree, blueberry, bayberry, dawn redwood, bamboo, masson pine, ginkgo, banyan, eucommia, forage grasses, and highland barley. In this way, simple qualitative conclusions such as “oil tea is suited to acidic soils” can be made quantitative and answered more comprehensively and scientifically. Based on the principle of biological maximization, Ecological Thermodynamics proposes semi-empirical mathematical models. It is hoped that within five years several plant species can be parameterized, within ten years one hundred plant species, and within twenty years ten thousand major plant species. Such work would be of major value for ecological restoration and construction, agriculture, climate-change research, and biological pollution control.
• Since biodiversity is conducive to ecological stability, how should a few or multiple plant species be selected for mixed planting in ecological restoration and afforestation? In ecological succession, how should dominant tree species be appropriately regulated to prevent the formation of a single-species stand?
• Given a certain climate and a particular soil, can an application program identify the optimal combination of tree species?
• In marine biotic carbon sequestration, what are the quantitative relationships among the environmental factors controlling phytoplankton growth and the threshold values of limiting factors?
• In marine biotic carbon sequestration, from shallow-sea to deep-sea habitats, what are the quantitative relationships among microorganisms, organic matter, NO3-, SO42-, Fe3+, MnO2, CH4, and H2S, and how can they be predicted from thermodynamic data?
• How can biological methods be used to control or remove soil pollutants such as Hg, Cd, As, Cr, and Pb?
• How can models be developed to calculate the partitioning of trace elements between soils and plants, so that farmers can produce safe grain, fruits, and vegetables on moderately or lightly contaminated soils, thereby ensuring consumer confidence?
• Under global climate change, how can the causal relationship between CO2 and biological evolution be analyzed?
• Is it possible to establish a mathematical framework that abstracts, from massive remote sensing, satellite, monitoring, and cloud-based datasets, the relationships between ecological biomass, primary productivity, climate, and environmental factors?
• Does warming reduce crop yields on the Qinghai–Tibet Plateau? Are there other factors involved, such as atmospheric CO2 concentration and soil pH?
• According to a 2021 report in the Global Times, it was claimed that the death of 110,000 hectares of Hessen forest in Germany was caused by a 1°C rise in temperature. Is this conclusion reliable?
By coupling the principle of minimum free energy for abiotic substances with the nonequilibrium thermodynamic principles governing living systems, Ecological Thermodynamics seeks to quantitatively describe organisms, the relationships between organisms and environmental and nutrient factors, and the interactions among organisms themselves, thereby progressively understanding and answering ecological questions such as those listed above.
IV. Goals for Disciplinary Development
1. To provide a foundational professional course for undergraduate and graduate students in environmental chemistry, carbon neutrality, marine chemistry, ecology, agricultural science, and horticulture.
2. To refine the thermodynamic theory that couples the principle of minimum free energy in abiotic matter with the nonequilibrium thermodynamic principles of living systems, and through this coupling to establish a theoretical framework spanning inorganic and organic, abiotic and biotic, and natural and human sciences, thereby laying part of the theoretical groundwork for the future construction of a beautiful ecological Earth.
3. To establish mathematical models, using thermodynamic parameters as variables, for the relationships between major plants and microorganisms and environmental and nutrient factors, and to express mathematically such biotic–biotic relationships as competition, amensalism, commensalism, predation, parasitism, and mutualism. This will achieve a breakthrough from zero to one and establish the corresponding theory.
4. To realize major innovative breakthroughs in the theories and methods of both terrestrial and marine abiotic carbon sequestration (CCS) as well as biotic carbon sequestration.
5. To develop internationally leading ecological chemistry software, including the abiotic component ETS-1 and the biotic–abiotic interaction component ETS-2 (see Chapters 5, 6, 7, 10, and 13).
6. To establish a field teaching and research experimental base for ecological restoration.
7. To stimulate the development of multiple research projects and continuously improve this discipline, thereby promoting interdisciplinary integration.
8. To train 15–20 PhD students or integrated master’s–PhD students within ten years and publish 30 influential papers.
9. To become a world-leading discipline within 10 to 15 years.
V. Educational Significance of Ecological Thermodynamics for Students in Environment, Ecology, Carbon Neutrality (Carbon-Negative Emissions), Marine Science, and Related Majors
Through instruction in Ecological Thermodynamics and the training of related research work, undergraduate and graduate students in environmental chemistry, ecological chemistry, marine chemistry, or carbon sequestration will make substantial progress in the following areas:
1. Mastering the fundamental line of thought from “the Great Way”—entropy → free energy → quantitative thermodynamic models → parameterization → software → quantitative ecological research (Chapters 1–5), thereby improving students’ capacities for critical and innovative thinking.
2. Exploring and mastering the basic concepts, laws, and computational methods of thermodynamics and irreversible thermodynamics (Chapters 4, 8, and 9).
3. Mastering the relevant theories and methods for anthropogenic carbon sequestration in support of “carbon peaking and carbon neutrality.”
4. Learning to develop and use software for solving problems in marine chemistry and soil chemistry (Chapters 6 and 7).
5. Learning to understand the behavior of microorganisms, plants, and humans on the basis of the relevant principles (Chapters 11, 12, and 14).
6. Understanding how to move from qualitative description to quantitative calculation in the study of abiotic–abiotic, biotic–abiotic, and biotic–biotic interactions (Chapters 10, 13, and 17).
7. Understanding how to build mathematical models based on the principle of maximum biological free energy so as to quantitatively describe the functional relationships between the growth and biomass of terrestrial plants and marine phytoplankton, on the one hand, and environmental and nutrient factors, on the other. This research entails a very large workload, but it will substantially improve the quantitative study of ecosystems. Once thousands of plant and microbial models have been parameterized, they may be used to guide ecological restoration and construction, agricultural cultivation, climate-change research, pollution control, and biodiversity studies (Chapters 10, 13, and 15).
8. Understanding the principles and modes of thought embodied in “micro-regulation and regulation of the micro” in ecological restoration, construction, and management (Chapter 17).
9. Ecological Thermodynamics (Chapter 18) puts forward the view that “The future heaven is on the Earth shaped by humans.” I am aware that this view will certainly attract much criticism. I do not know what kind of heaven people go to after death, but the beautiful Earth of the future will be created by humankind. I offer these ideas merely to stimulate further discussion. It is hoped that, after completing the course, students will write an essay of about 2,500 words on the topic “The Beautiful Ecological Earth I Envision for the Future,” making full use of the knowledge learned in this discipline and fully exercising their imagination. We will cooperate with science-fiction writers and filmmakers to produce a film.
VI. Research Topics Related to Ecological Thermodynamics
1. Research on the original theory of Ecological Thermodynamics (see Chapters 8, 9, and 10). Through further interdisciplinary integration of thermodynamics, irreversible thermodynamics, fluctuation theory, and molecular biology, this work will examine in depth the macroscopic thermodynamic manifestations and microscopic mechanisms of biotic–abiotic interactions, and will pioneer related theories of biotic–abiotic action.
2. Development of the world-leading ETS-1 software (see Chapters 5, 6, and 7, and related content in Fluid Geochemistry). This software is intended to overcome many of the shortcomings of PHREEQC, currently the most widely used software in the world, and to become internationally preeminent. Through the continuous improvement of the software and the development of new fundamental processes within it, undergraduate and graduate students can cultivate strong abilities in quantitative calculation and scientific digitization. An important foundational software package, EFS, has already been developed.
3. Research topics related to carbon sequestration as one of the major avenues for advancing “carbon peaking and carbon neutrality” (see Chapter 19 and Chapter 16 of Fluid Geochemistry). Such studies aim to achieve original breakthroughs in the theories and methods of carbon sequestration.
4. Development of ETS-2, a digital model based on the maximization of biological free energy in ecosystems. Using one or two biological populations as examples, it will simulate the functional relationships between biological growth and reproduction (biomass or growth rate) and environmental factors (temperature, humidity, pH, CO2 concentration, illumination) as well as nutrient activity factors (N, P, Fe, K, Zn, Cu, etc.) (see Chapters 10, 13, and 15).
In the past, research has usually been univariate or qualitative—for example, reports in China Science Daily in 2021 on the effect of temperature on tea yield, or collaborative studies by the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Peking University, and a U.S. institution on the influence of temperature on grain production on the Qinghai–Tibet Plateau. Under the guidance of the theoretical model of Ecological Thermodynamics, we hope to achieve breakthroughs in multivariable research, promote the development of the discipline, and ultimately build ETS-2, an ecological digital software system of major significance for ecological construction, biological carbon sequestration, and agricultural production.
5. Research on the role of “micro-regulation and regulation of the micro” in ecological construction (Chapter 17).
6. Research on the position and role of “human beings” in ecosystems, and on how humanity can build a beautiful and healthy Earth.
In summary, sustained and in-depth research on the above topics will not only promote original advances in ecological theory and elevate ecological research from qualitative to quantitative modes, but also achieve breakthroughs in ecological restoration and construction, as well as in carbon sequestration methods and technologies.