Boundaries, Interactions, and Environmental Systems

Abstract

This paper presents a working definition for environmental systems that clearly distinguishes them from systems centred in each of the environmental spheres, the biosphere included. It also argues that natural phenomena result from a collection of interacting things, their classification in physical, chemical, bio-chemical, biological etc being associated to two factors: the complexity of the organisation in the phenomenological units and the clearness of boundaries in the phenomenon. Based on this definition and these arguments, it discusses some distinctive characteristics of environmental phenomena and how to define environmental states in such a way as to include these special characteristics.