This book was written by H. T. Odum and published in 1983. It provides a comprehensive introduction to Odum’s unique view of systems ecology. He provides a definition of the maximum power principle developed by Lotka: “systems prevail that develop designs that maximize the flow of useful energy” (p. 6). He describes how there is a pulsing rhythm in chemical binding that occurs at the molecular level and the variations of carbon concentrations in the atmosphere over millions of years that dramatically transform the environments on the planet (p. 574). Odum argues the work on streams by Sugita (1951) provides empirical support for the maximum power principle. Odum writes that Sugita “uses examples such as stream capture in land drainage” to suggest that “systems tend to maximize power in their organizational work” (p. 118). Odum argues that the maximum power principle is consistent with Progigine’s and Waiume’s minimum entropy production principle (p. 7). Odum acknowledged that there are instances in which many different criteria can be optimized in order to support the survival and growth of a natural system: maximum efficiency, maximum entropy generation, minimum entropy generation, maximum diversity, maximum biomass, maximum reproduction, maximum profit, etc. He argues that they are all “special cases” of the MPP (p. 101).
H. T. Odum. 1983. Systems Ecology: An Introduction. New York: John Wiley & Sons.