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• Particular crops can alter ecosystem functioning and the change the percentage
of rainfall that accumulates in groundwater or flows in streams and leaves a certain area.
• Energy used to heat water can lead to emissions of greenhouse gases that alter
the climate, which in turn impacts the growth of food crops in a variety of
ways.
Where there is one step to mediating the interaction, we can call this a “second
order” interaction. If two steps are mediating an indirect interaction, we can have
“third order” interaction. If more steps are mediating the interaction, we have
“higher order” interactions. Each additional indirect step in an interaction makes a
system more complex to study.
Indirect interactions are frequently folded into direct bilateral interactions or a
two-way mutual relationship. For our three examples, this might be done in the following manner:
• The water demands of crops for biofuels are considered within the bilateral or
mutual relationship of agricultural water use.
• The impacts of particular crops on groundwater storage are regarded within the
bilateral relationship of land use/cover and water.
• The effects of water energy use on crops are considered within the reciprocal
relationship between climate and crops.
2.6.3.3 Structural Arrangements
The parts of an integrated system are usually grouped into a system of dynamic
“components” or “modules” based on strong interactions rooted in biophysical and
societal relationships (e.g., resource flows, a shared decision-making process, or a
robust economic relationship).
Parts usually reflect distributed control of a system, indicating opportunities or
change their operation and management. Parts can sometimes also be seen as the
units of coevolution.
In the most straightforward approach to this, we might think of food, energy, and
water components managed to achieve the desired outcome. However, in practice,
integrated systems are far more complicated.
Models describing structural arrangements must address the systems simultaneously and their mutual relationships consistently (both biophysical and societal.) An
integrated energy–water system model must recognize the direct interactions of the
demands on water by the energy system and on energy by the water system. It must
also acknowledge the indirect interactions mediated through the food system, land
use, climate, ecosystems, economics, and social changes.
2 Systems Science
• Particular crops can alter ecosystem functioning and the change the percentage
of rainfall that accumulates in groundwater or flows in streams and leaves a certain area.
• Energy used to heat water can lead to emissions of greenhouse gases that alter
the climate, which in turn impacts the growth of food crops in a variety of
ways.
Where there is one step to mediating the interaction, we can call this a “second
order” interaction. If two steps are mediating an indirect interaction, we can have
“third order” interaction. If more steps are mediating the interaction, we have
“higher order” interactions. Each additional indirect step in an interaction makes a
system more complex to study.
Indirect interactions are frequently folded into direct bilateral interactions or a
two-way mutual relationship. For our three examples, this might be done in the following manner:
• The water demands of crops for biofuels are considered within the bilateral or
mutual relationship of agricultural water use.
• The impacts of particular crops on groundwater storage are regarded within the
bilateral relationship of land use/cover and water.
• The effects of water energy use on crops are considered within the reciprocal
relationship between climate and crops.
2.6.3.3 Structural Arrangements
The parts of an integrated system are usually grouped into a system of dynamic
“components” or “modules” based on strong interactions rooted in biophysical and
societal relationships (e.g., resource flows, a shared decision-making process, or a
robust economic relationship).
Parts usually reflect distributed control of a system, indicating opportunities or
change their operation and management. Parts can sometimes also be seen as the
units of coevolution.
In the most straightforward approach to this, we might think of food, energy, and
water components managed to achieve the desired outcome. However, in practice,
integrated systems are far more complicated.
Models describing structural arrangements must address the systems simultaneously and their mutual relationships consistently (both biophysical and societal.) An
integrated energy–water system model must recognize the direct interactions of the
demands on water by the energy system and on energy by the water system. It must
also acknowledge the indirect interactions mediated through the food system, land
use, climate, ecosystems, economics, and social changes.
2 Systems Science