Ecodynamics: the quest for evolutionary physics

The challenge for sustainable development needs a shift of paradigm towards an evolutionary point of view and also needs new modeling tools to investigate complex ecosystems and the related dynamics. This paper is an attempt to develop the new discipline of ecodynamics as a quest for evolutionary physics and ecoinformatics. Particular attention is devoted to goal functions, to the relation of conceptualizations surrounding matter, energy, space and time and to the interdisciplinary approach connecting thermodynamics and biology. The evolutionary dynamics of complex systems, ranging from open physical and chemical systems (strange attractors, oscillating reactions, dissipative structures) to ecosystems has to be investigated in terms of far from equilibrium thermodynamics (Prigogine). The theory of probability is discussed in light of new theoretical findings related to the role of events, also in terms of entropy and evolutionary thermodynamics.