Ecology: biology of interaction. I-14. (supplement) Describing diversity of biosystems: classification, typology, ordination
Dynamic typology is based not only on analysis of an object’s observed state, but also on forecast (typically probabilistic) of its future dynamics. One path to its construction is analysis of phase space trajectories and stability basins.
I-14. (supplement) Describing diversity of biosystems: classification, typology, ordination
Developing a typology of a studied system is a basic stage of investigation. If researchers are interested in changing states of an object or category of objects, these states must be distinguishable and nameable.
Typology and classification are ways of partitioning a set into subsets. Their relationship is interpreted differently. We agree with authors who define typology as a classification approach in which objects are compared with models or prototypes — types.
“Typological representation of diversity stands at the beginning of knowledge... and is often viewed as the summit where knowledge turns into understanding.”
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In medicine, explicit dynamic typology is often not formalized, but its essence appears in prognosis of disease course and outcome — the characteristics most important for patient and society.
Thus, building a dynamic typology of a category of biosystems is a natural and important stage of study. One pathway is identification of all possible states (phase-space identification), analysis of trajectories across phase-space regions (simulation modeling is especially useful here), and identification of stability basins corresponding to different dynamic types. These basins may belong to different stability classes characterized earlier (Fig. I-08.2). From this standpoint, stability of biosystems is their ability to preserve or regularly change their dynamic type.