Evolutionary entropy and the Second Law of Thermodynamics

TL;DR

This paper links evolutionary entropy in biological systems to thermodynamic entropy, showing that under certain conditions, they coincide and that the Fundamental Theorem of Evolution generalizes the Second Law of Thermodynamics.

Contribution

It demonstrates that evolutionary entropy and thermodynamic entropy are equivalent in specific limits, extending thermodynamic principles to biological evolution.

Findings

Evolutionary entropy and thermodynamic entropy coincide as rho approaches 0 and N approaches infinity.

The Fundamental Theorem of Evolution generalizes the Second Law of Thermodynamics.

In systems with scarce and diverse energy sources, evolutionary entropy increases.

Abstract

The dynamics of molecular collisions in a macroscopic body are encoded by the parameter Thermodynamic entropy - a statistical measure of the number of molecular configurations that correspond to a given macrostate. Directionality in the flow of energy in macroscopic bodies is described by the Second Law of Thermodynamics: In isolated systems, that is systems closed to the input of energy and matter, thermodynamic entropy increases. The dynamics of the lower level interactions in populations of replicating organisms is encoded by the parameter Evolutionary entropy, a statistical measure which describes the number and diversity of metabolic cycles in a population of replicating organisms. Directionality in the transformation of energy in populations of organisms is described by the Fundamental Theorem of Evolution: In systems open to the input of energy and matter, Evolutionary entropy increases, when the energy source is scarce and diverse, and decreases when the energy source is abundant and singular. This article shows that when rho to 0, and N to infinity, where rho is the production rate of the external energy source, and N denote the number of replicating units, evolutionary entropy, an organized state of energy; and thermodynamic entropy, a randomized state of energy, coincide. Accordingly, the Fundamental Theorem of Evolution, is a generalization of the Second Law of Thermodynamics.