Ever heard of this theory? Basically it states that all organic and inorganic materials on Earth are closely integrated to help mantain the conditions to sustain life, namely the stability of global temperature, ocean salinity, oxygen in the atmosphere and other factors of a preferred homeostasis.
Ocean salinity has been constant at about 3.4% for a very long time. This was a mystery, because river salts should have raised the ocean salinity much higher than observed. Recently, it was suggested that salinity may also be strongly influenced by seawater circulation through hot basaltic rocks, and emerging as hot water vents on mid-ocean ridges. Still, the composition of seawater is far from equilibrium, and it is difficult to explain this fact without the influence of organic processes.
Atmospheric composition remains fairly constant, providing the ideal conditions for life. All the atmospheric gases other than noble gases present in the atmosphere are either made by organisms or processed by them. The Gaia theory states that the Earth's atmospheric composition is kept at a dynamically steady state by the presence of life. The stability of the atmosphere in Earth is not because of chemical equillibrium. Oxygen is the second most reactive element after fluorine, and it should combine with gases and minerals of the Earth's atmosphere and crust. Traces of methane should not exist, as methane is combustible in an oxygen atmosphere.
Since life started on Earth, the energy provided by the Sun has increased by 25% to 30%. However, the surface temperature of the planet has remained within the levels of habitability, reaching quite regular low and high margins. The CLAW hypothesis, inspired by the Gaia theory, proposes a feedback loop that operates between ocean ecosystems and the Earth's climate.The hypothesis specifically proposes that particular phytoplankton that produce dimethyl sulfide are responsive to variations in climate forcing, and that these responses lead to a negative feedback loop that acts to stabilise the temperature of the Earth's atmosphere. Currently, this Gaian homeostatic balance is being pushed by the increase of human population and the impact of their activities to the environment. The multiplication of greenhouse gases may cause a turn of Gaia's negative feedbacks into homeostatic positive feedback. According to Lovelock (the man who formulated this theory), this could bring an accelerated global warming and mass human mortality.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gaia_hypoth...the_oceans
So what do you think? I think it sounds pretty cool.
Ocean salinity has been constant at about 3.4% for a very long time. This was a mystery, because river salts should have raised the ocean salinity much higher than observed. Recently, it was suggested that salinity may also be strongly influenced by seawater circulation through hot basaltic rocks, and emerging as hot water vents on mid-ocean ridges. Still, the composition of seawater is far from equilibrium, and it is difficult to explain this fact without the influence of organic processes.
Atmospheric composition remains fairly constant, providing the ideal conditions for life. All the atmospheric gases other than noble gases present in the atmosphere are either made by organisms or processed by them. The Gaia theory states that the Earth's atmospheric composition is kept at a dynamically steady state by the presence of life. The stability of the atmosphere in Earth is not because of chemical equillibrium. Oxygen is the second most reactive element after fluorine, and it should combine with gases and minerals of the Earth's atmosphere and crust. Traces of methane should not exist, as methane is combustible in an oxygen atmosphere.
Since life started on Earth, the energy provided by the Sun has increased by 25% to 30%. However, the surface temperature of the planet has remained within the levels of habitability, reaching quite regular low and high margins. The CLAW hypothesis, inspired by the Gaia theory, proposes a feedback loop that operates between ocean ecosystems and the Earth's climate.The hypothesis specifically proposes that particular phytoplankton that produce dimethyl sulfide are responsive to variations in climate forcing, and that these responses lead to a negative feedback loop that acts to stabilise the temperature of the Earth's atmosphere. Currently, this Gaian homeostatic balance is being pushed by the increase of human population and the impact of their activities to the environment. The multiplication of greenhouse gases may cause a turn of Gaia's negative feedbacks into homeostatic positive feedback. According to Lovelock (the man who formulated this theory), this could bring an accelerated global warming and mass human mortality.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gaia_hypoth...the_oceans
So what do you think? I think it sounds pretty cool.
