Life, temperature, and the earth : the self-organizing biosphere / David Schwartzman.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Schwartzman, David (David W.)

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Biosphere.

Bioclimatology.

Weathering.

Physical Description:

xiii, 241 pages : illustrations ; 24 cm

Place of Publication:

New York : Columbia University Press, [1999]

Summary:

"Life, Temperature, and the Earth" analyzes and modifies important aspects of the Gaia hypothesis in light of geochemical, geophysical, mathematical, and paleontological data that were either ignored or unavailable when the hypothesis was developed. Schwartzman argues that the Earth's climatic temperature has been biologically regulated amid the backdrop of variable volcanic outgassing and an evolving sun.

Contents:

1 Climatic Evolution: From Homeostatic Gaia to Geophysiology 1

2 The Biogeochemical Cycle of Carbon 15

3 Faint Young Sun Paradox and Climate Stabilization 32

4 Weathering and Its Biotic Enhancement 43

5 Weathering: From Theory and Experiment to the Field 66

6 Quantifying the Biotic Enhancement of Weathering and Its Implications 80

7 Surface Temperature History of the Earth 99

8 Did Surface Temperatures Constrain Microbial Evolution? 119

9 Self-organization of the Biosphere 157

10 Alien Biospheres? 179.

Notes:

Includes bibliographical references (pages [197]-237) and index.

ISBN:

0231102127

OCLC:

41049691