When one describes patterns in nature, one needs to define the environment in which the pattern resides, the pattern's architecture, and its internal dynamics or processes. It is important to describe a pattern in this way because of the strong connectedness between between the context (environment) in which the pattern resides, its architecture, and its dynamics. Form, function, and context cannot be separated, neither of them is more important than the other. One cannot exist without the others.

Historically, there has been little study of relationships between form, flow, and context. In biology "morphology" is the study of the form, structure and configuration of an organism. This would include shape, structure, color, and pattern of plants and animals.

In contrast, physiology is the study of function. This separated "reductionist" approach to the study of patterns does not consider the connectivity of all things in nature.

Taking a more integrated view, a dynamic process can form a pattern's architecture. Architecture can guide or direct a process.  The surrounding environment serves to control and evolve. It is within this interplay between form, function, and context that we start getting clues as to how patterns are formed. Together, form, function, and context become a unifying concept.

Examples of this interplay between form , function, and context are rivers, ant colonies, and sponges.

• An example of the interplay of form, function, and context is the flow of rivers where the source is a branching structure connecting to a central and larger flow of water. Here, the shape of the land ( a context called geomorphology ) provides a structural template (form) that shapes the flow of water. But, then the river path in the terrain becomes shaped by the dynamic flow (function) of water and other ecological processes. Form and function become interrelated. Through the interplay of form and function, a pattern in nature is formed. Running water ecosystems illustrate several principles governing the interaction of landscape form and ecological function -- sometimes called "functional ecomorphology”. Of particular note  are ecosystem-level interactions between geologic form and biogeochemical processes integrated by the flow of water.
• In her paper Complex Systems: Network Thinking, Melanie Mitchell provides an excellent example of the complex interplay between function and form within the context of the colony environment as she provides a description (paraphrased here) of the foraging dynamics within an ant colony. "An ant colony is a network of relatively simple elements (ants) from which emerge larger-scale intelligent and adaptive behaviors. An example of such behavior in ant colonies is the ability to optimally and adaptively focus ant resources  on the task of foraging for food. This behavior is accomplished with no central control. Foraging ants in a colony first set out moving randomly in all directions. When an ant encounters a food source, it returns to the nest, leaving a pheromone trail. When other ants encounter a pheromone trail, they are likely to follow it. The greater the concentration of pheromone, the more likely an ant will be to follow the trail. If an ant encounters the food source, it returns to the nest, reinforcing the trail with additional pheromone. In the absence of reinforcement, a pheromone trail will dissipate. In this way, ants collectively build up and communicate information about the locations and quality of food sources, and this information adapts to changes in these environmental conditions. At any given time, the existing trails and their strengths form a good model of the food environment discovered collectively by the foragers." Here, dynamics and structure  (function and form ) work together within the colony's context of a need to gather food. The function is the dynamic act of hunting for food. Once food is found, a network of trails (i.e. form) is established.
• Sponges are unusual animals in that they lack definite organs to carry out their various functions. The most important structure is the network of canals and chambers, called a water-current system, through which water circulates to bring food and oxygen to the sponge. The water-current system also helps disperse gametes and larvae and remove wastes. The sponge is critically dependent on its context, the water currents and surrounding ocean, to bring nutrients into its sessile form, the canals and chambers. The resulting absorption and use of nutrients are a function of life.

While keeping in mind the importance of the environmental context when studying form and function , we now move on to look at systems and networks in more detail.

This document is a draft of work in progress. Please post your comments, thoughts, and suggestions:

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