Chapter 3 - Second and Third Law of Thermodynamics in open systems

Abstract

Ecosystems are open for mass and energy transfer. Ecosystems receive energy from solar radiation and water from precipitation, dry deposition from the atmosphere, inputs by wind, and flows of various types plus migration of species. The openness of an ecosystem is responsible for maintaining life and staying far from thermodynamic equilibrium for maintenance of life that requires input of energy, which is possible if an ecosystem is at least non-isolated. The use of the Second Law of Thermodynamics for open systems is crucial. Ecosystems violate the Second Law because they are moving away from thermodynamic equilibrium by formation of a biological structure. Ecosystems receive energy as solar radiation, which can compensate for the steady transfer of work to heat. Input environments of ecosystems serve as sources of high quality energy whose high contents of work and information, and low entropy raise the organizational states of matter far from equilibrium. Output environments are sinks for energy and matter lower in work capacity, higher in entropy, and closer to equilibrium. The Second Law of Thermodynamics is applied to the ecosystem when the entropy production of ecosystems is considered as a consequence of the maintenance of the system far from thermodynamic equilibrium. The chapter enumerates the conditions for the creation of life-ordering processes out of disorder (or, more specifically, chemical order by formation of complex organic molecules and organisms from inorganic matter), which can now be deduced from the First, Second and Third Laws of Thermodynamics.