We explored the application of Fisher information to the study of pandemics and illustrated the insights that can be gained using the COVID-19 pandemic, as a test case. To do so, we applied the Fisher information theory previously applied to periodic systems, to non-periodic dynamic systems. The resulting mathematical machinery was then used to compute the Fisher information measure, as the amount of information extracted from the time series for COVID-19 confirmed infections and deaths.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFCrop shifting is considered as an important strategy to secure future food supply in the face of climate change. However, use of this adaptation strategy needs to consider the risk posed by changes in the geographic range of pests that feed on selected crops. Failure to account for this threat can lead to disastrous results.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFOver the years, several global models have been proposed to forecast global sustainability, provide a framework for sustainable policy-making, or to study sustainability across the FEW nexus. An integrated model is presented here with components like food-web ecosystem dynamics, microeconomics components, including energy producers and industries, and various socio-techno-economic policy dimensions. The model consists of 15 compartments representing a simplified ecological food-web set in a macroeconomic framework along with a rudimentary legal system.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFAnalysis of global sustainability is incomplete without an examination of the FEW nexus. Here, we modify the Generalized Global Sustainability Model (GGSM) to incorporate the global water system and project water stress on the global and regional levels. Five key water-consuming sectors considered here are agricultural, municipal, energy, industry, and livestock.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFResour Conserv Recycl
January 2021
The Trans-Atlantic Research and Development Interchange on Sustainability Workshop (TARDIS) is a meeting on scientific topics related to sustainability. The 2019 workshop theme was "On the Role of Uncertainty in Managing the Earth for Global Sustainability." This paper presents the perspectives on this topic derived from talks and discussions at the 2019 TARDIS workshop.
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