open system theory applied to evolution.

I think that some of the "Easter coming" thread has drifted to evolution - I am not complaining as this is the nature of information and opinion sharing.

Instead of continuing the evolution theme under "Easter coming" I thought that I would start a new thread.

This view of evolution uses a diagram.

This diagram is taken from Open System (systems theory)

Here is the diagram.

I may well be wrong in interpreting the 5 items in this diagram, but offer these suggestions as a discussion starter.

3 Throughput. The actual living organism that is undergoing change.

2 Input. The source of energy (mainly solar, but can be others like thermal) and food and water.

1 Environment. The environmental pressures like temperature, availability of food and water, competition from other living things, availability of mates, sudden environmental changes etc.

5 Feedback. This is the mechanism that determines whether changes are advantageous or not in terms of breeding success. Those that are, even though they are in the minority, provide the organism with advantages relative to it's peers and the acquired advantageous traits eventually dominate.

4 The organism that results from the evolutionary process. These organisms in turn affect the environment as they become part of it.