Timothy F. H. Allen

Timothy F. H. Allen (July 6, 1942) is a British botanist and Professor of Botany and Environmental Studies at the Department of Botany, University of Wisconsin-Madison. Allen is a leader in the fields of hierarchy theory, systems theory, and complexity.

Biography

Timothy Allen was born in 1942 in South Croydon, Surrey, U.K, and since the 1970s has been a permanent U.S. resident. He received his B.Sc. in 1964 and his Ph.D. in 1968, both at the University College North Wales of the University of Wales, Bangor, in North Wales. "Biographical Sketch Timothy F. Allen". in: [http://biocomplexity.limnology.wisc.edu/proposal.pdf Research proposal Biocomplexity] at limnology.wisc.edu. Retrieved 8 June 2008.]

Starting in 1964, Allen worked for four years as a demonstrator at the School of Plant Biology of the University College North Wales. This was followed by two years as a lecturer in the Department of Biological Science at the University of Ife in Nigeria. In 1970 he went to the United States and became an Assistant Professor at the Department of Botany of University of Wisconsin-Madison, being named Professor in 1981. In 1980 he joint the faculty of the Department of Integrated Liberal Studies, and as Member of the faculty of the Institute for Environmental Studies, Conservation and Land Management Programs. In 1988-89 he was a Visiting Professor at the Department of Anthropology and Cybernetic Systems at the San Jose State University.

Allen is President-elect 2009 of the International Society for the Systems Sciences. He also a member on the scientific advisory board of the Integral Science Institute. [ [http://www.integralscienceinstitute.org/advisory.html Scientific advisory board] . Integral Science Institute. Retrieved 8 June 2008.]

Work

Timothy Allen's research interests are in the fields the theory of complex systems and ecology, in particular hierarchy theory and problems of scale; epistemology for biological systems; resource use and biosocial dynamics; narrative in science. [ [http://www.botany.wisc.edu/allenlab/AllenLab/Allen_Lab.html Timothy F. H. Allen] . The Allen Lab Department of Botany, University of Wisconsin-Madison. Retrieved 8 June 2008.] His formal training was as a plant community ecologist studying algae with multivariate methods of gradient and cluster analyses. These are scaling techniques that launched him into issues of scale in principle, and from there on to complexity itself. [http://www.botany.wisc.edu/allenlab/AllenLab/Biography.html Biography Allen Lab] . Retrieved 8 June 2008.]

Allen has been applying notions of complex systems and hierarchy theory to ecology for twenty-five years. His first book "Hierarchy: Perspectives for Ecological Complexity" from 1983, Allen established hierarchy theory and scaling in ecology. Four other books on hierarchy theory focus on ecosystem analysis or cover all types of ecology and beyond to the life and social sciences in general. His latest work, "Supply Side Sustainability" from 2003, written with Forest Service colleagues J. Tainter and T. Hoekstra, explores the emerging field of economic ecology and suggests that we must manage the whole ecosystem that makes resources renewable, not natural resources themselves. The historical analysis shows that failure to move beyond the information age to an age of quality global management invites a new dark age. [G. Bradley Guy; Charles J. Kibert; Jan Sendzimir (ed). "Construction Ecology", Volume 1, Part 1 November 2001. [http://www.informaworld.com/smpp/section?content=a728443651&fulltext=743473315&lang=nl Prelims] )]

Allen's research liaisons provide a scale-based theoretical framework for groups at the Northern Lakes Long Term Ecological Research site and Oak Ridge National Laboratory. The U. S. Forest Service in Fort Collins, Colorado, and the Science Advisory Board for the US/ Canadian International Joint Commission provide an outlet for me to practical problems.

Hierarchy theory

Hierarchy theory is a dialect of general systems theory, which focuses upon levels of organization and issues of scale. It uses a set of principles to keep track of the complex structure and a behavior of systems with multiple levels, with a significant emphasis upon the observer in the system. Hierarchy theory has emerged as part of a movement toward a general science of complexity, and is rooted in the work of economist, Herbert Simon, chemist, Ilya Prigogine, and psychologist, Jean Piaget, hierarchy theory. [http://www.botany.wisc.edu/allenlab/AllenLab/Hierarchy.html A Summary of the Principles of Hierarchy Theory] . Retrieved 8 June 2008.]

Hierarchy theory is as much as anything a theory of observation. It has been significantly operationalized in ecology, but has been applied relatively infrequently outside that science. When applied in a more general fashion systems can be described effectively in hierarchical terms. Central principles in hierarchy theory are: Complexity and self-simplification; Constraint versus possibilities; Duality in hierarchies; Hierarchy in mathematical terms: Hierarchical levels; The ordering of levels; Nested and non-nested hierarchies; Level of organization; Level of observation: and Criterion for observation.

Publications

Allen has written about five books and has published over fifty scholarly works in journals on community data analysis, agricultural systems, issues of scale, and sustainability. Books:
* 1982. "Hierarchy : perspectives for ecological complexity". With Thomas B. Starr. Chicago : University of Chicago Press.
* 1986. "A Hierarchical Concept of Ecosystems". With R.V. O'Neill, D. DeAngelis and J. B. Waide. Princeton : Princeton University Press.
* 1992. "Toward a unified ecology". With Thomas W. Hoekstra. New York : Columbia University Press.
* 1996. "Hierarchy theory : a vision, vocabulary, and epistemology". With Valerie Ahl, illustrated by Paula Lerner. New York : Columbia University Press.
* 2003. "Supply-side sustainability". With Joseph A. Tainter and Thomas W. Hoekstra. New York : Columbia University Press.

Articles, a selection:
* 1991. "The role of heterogeneity in scaling of ecological systems under analysis". With T.W. Hoekstra. In: J. Kolasa, and S.T.A. Pickett (Eds.). "Ecological heterogeneity". Springer-Verlag. pp. 47-68.
* 1993. "The problem of scaling in ecology". With A. King et al. In: "Evolutionary Trends in Plants" 7:3-8.
* 1991. "Improving predictability in networks: system specification through networks." With R.V. O'Neill. In: M. Higashi and T.P. Burns (eds). "Theoretical studies of ecosystems: the network perspective."Cambridge. pp. 101-114.

References

External links

* [http://www.botany.wisc.edu/allenlab/AllenLab/Allen_Lab.html Timothy F. H. Allen] . The Allen Lab Department of Botany, University of Wisconsin-Madison.