Information systems, like biological systems, are susceptible to external perturbations. Similar to flora and fauna in a biome, species of data can be classified within a dataphora [26]. While entropic properties and data geometries can be used to describe local species of data within a dataphora, they are not designed to describe the global properties of an information system or evaluate its stability [30][31]. Ecologists have used Information Theories to describe macro-level properties of biological ecosystems [17] and statistical tools to evaluate biological systems [9]. This research leverages an ecological perspective to model information systems as a living system [14]. Our findings support the theory of dataphoric ascendancy with Wikipedia having a Diversity Index value of 0.68, within the range of 0.65 and 0.80 that indicates a balanced state. We further support our findings with additional evaluations of other ecosystems including the predicted collapse of the information service known as the Digital Universe. This research allows for an information system’s stability to be a) characterized and b) predicted using ecological measures specific to the diversity of data within the ecosystem.

Introduction

The theory of dataphoric space describes an information system as a biologically-styled biome in which “species of information” reside [26]. Dataphoric space can structure the components of a data-driven ecosystem at a local level (e.g., dataphores, histological data forms and cellular data forms). While these are locally driven phenomenon within an information system, they do not quantitatively describe the global properties of an information system (See Figure 1. Position of a Dataphora). Understanding global properties of information systems are critical to measuring the evolution of an information system over time. This framework advances information system research by providing an instrument for longitudinal, comparative and point-in-time analyses. In the 1950s there was cross-disciplinary interest in merging the concepts of information theory [27] and ecology [17]. Ecologists for many years have used theories of information to describe the fauna of a biome in terms of a “diversity index”. While informaticists have adopted some ecological concepts and indices, the field has not fully embraced the ecological framework of a living system as a function of an information system. To what extent can information scientists leverage global measures of biological systems for information systems research? [11] Using a quantitative design science approach, we have developed instrumentation towards this goal.