Indirect Effects, Biotic Inferential Interactions and Time Functions in H-Semiotic Systems: Ecosystems Case

Abstract

The main objectives of this paper are to formulate an introduction to the mathematical theory of indirect effects with respect to some biotic relations, including symbiosis, commensalism, mutualism and predation, along with the time functions for these relationships. We employ the theory of system linkage in Patten’s Theory of Environment to develop an analysis of the theoretical properties of direct and indirect influences, using the variables and structure of each system involved in the linkage. In this paper, in order to formulate the mathematical theory, we develop, as a contribution to Patten's Theory of Environment, so-called H-semiotic systems.