The biosphere theory of V. I. Vernadsky and the Gaia theory of James Lovelock: a comparative analysis of the two theories and traditions |
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Authors: | Levit G S Krumbein W E |
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Institution: | Institute of Chemistry and Biology of the Marine Environment, Carl von Ossietzky Universit?t Oldenburg, Germany. george.levit@africa.geomic.uni-oldenburg.de |
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Abstract: | James Hutton (1726-1797) regarded Earth as a super-organism and physiology the science to study it. A strong line of evidence for an intimate relationship of biological and abiotic processes on Earth leads from Hutton to the Gaia theory of J. Lovelock. A less known in the West but important approach to the biosphere as a self-regulating system (the biosphere theory) was proposed V.I. Vernadsky (1863-1945). The main concern of this paper revolves around the question: What is the difference between Gaia and the biosphere? To approach the problem of Earth as a super-organism one can use also the biosphere theory of V. N. Beklemishev (1890-1962), who examined the biosphere from a morphological viewpoint. |
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