Topic:Open and closed Systems

Context

This topic forms part of the systems and complexity area of study. People who are competent in the topic can apply their knowledge of artificial and natural ecosystems, hierarchies of environmental systems, and the difference between closed systems and open systems to understand and conduct experiments into optimum system operations.

Competencies

Expected competencies after study of this topic are:

• being able to describe the difference between a closed, open, and isolated systems
• understanding the five environmental systems in ecological systems theory (microsystems, mesosystems, exosystem, macrosystem, and chronosystems) and how to describe a real-world systems environment using these concepts
• being able to describe ecological scales and control levels (microcosms, mesocosms and macrocosms)
• being able to describe an experiment using a microcosm or mesocosm that can usefully test a hypothesis about proposed systems changes

Key Concepts

Open Systems exchange matter and energy with its surroundings. Most systems are open, including ecosystems.

Closed Systems exchange energy but not matter. Closed systems are extremely rare in nature. No natural closed systems exist on Earth but the planet itself can be thought of as an “almost” closed system.

An isolated system exchanges neither matter nor energy.

—Adapted from Nigel Gardner, Types of System

A microsystem refers to the most immediate and direct impacts on an individual (or any agent).

A mesosystem consists of interconnections between microsystems.

An exosystem involves links between agents that do not directly involve the individual or agent, but have an impact on the agent.

A macrosystem incorporates the overarching culture that influences agents, microsystems, and mesosystems such as geographic location, power, and available resources. Individuals within the same macrosystem often perceive themselves as having a common identity, heritage, and values.

A chronosystem includes patterns of environmental events and transitions over time.

—Adapted from Wikipedia description of ecological systems theory, Ecological systems theory

Primers

• Types of systems
• Ecological systems theory

Further Reading

• The Ecology of Human Development
• Ecological systems theory

Subject matter experts

• Urie Bronfenbrenner