Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Global dynamics: Gaia or geochemistry?

  • Papers
  • Published:
Environmentalist Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Summary

The nature and evidence of the gaia and geochemical hypotheses describing the dynamics of the ecosphere are reviewed. In particular, the ways in which the unorthodox gaia hypothesis challenges the orthodox global models of geochemistry are discussed in the context of the logic and sociology of science. It is argued that the gaia hypothesis offers environmental scientists a working hypothesis of unusual promise, especially for understanding the processes underlying the long-term dynamics of the global environmental system.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Bennett, R.J. and Chorley, R.J. 1978.Environmental Systems: Philosophy, Analysis and Control. Methuen, London.

    Google Scholar 

  • Beveridge, W.I.B. 1950.The art of Scientific Investigation. Heinemann, London.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bolin, B. and Cook, R.B. (eds.) 1983.The Major Biogeochemical Cycles and Their Interactions. Scope 21. John Wiley and Sons, Chichester.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bronowski, J. 1968.The Commonsense of Science. Penguin, London.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bunyard, P. 1985. World climate and tropical forest destruction.The Ecologist,15(3), 125–136.

    Google Scholar 

  • Cloud, P. 1983. The biosphere.Scientific American,249, 132–144.

    Google Scholar 

  • Furley, P.A. and Newey, W.W. 1983.Geography of the Biosphere. Butterworths, London.

    Google Scholar 

  • Garrels, R.M., Lerman, A. and Mackenzie, F.T. 1976. Controls of atmospheric O2 and CO2 past, present and future.American Scientist,64, 306–315.

    Google Scholar 

  • Gregor, B. 1970. Denudation of the continents.Nature,228, 273–275.

    Google Scholar 

  • Gribben, J. (ed.) 1986.The Breathing Planet. Basil Blackwell and New Scientist, London.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hallam, A. 1973.A Revolution in the Earth Sciences. Clarendon Press, Oxford.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hallbery, R. (ed.) 1983.Environmental Biogeochemistry. Ecological Bulletins, 35, Publishing House/FRV, Sweden.

    Google Scholar 

  • Holland, H.D. 1978.The Chemistry of the Atmosphere and Oceans. John Wiley, Chichester.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kuhn, T.S. 1970.The Structure of Scientific Revolutions. University of Chicago Press, Chicago.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lakatos, I. and Musgrave, A. (eds.) 1970.Criticism and the Growth of Knowledge. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lovelock, J.E. 1972. Gaia as seen through the atmosphere.Atmospheric Envir.,6, 579–580.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lovelock, J.E. and Epton, S. 1986. The quest for Gaia. In: J. Gribben (ed.),The Breathing Planet. Basil Balckwell and New Scientist, London.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lovelock, J.E. and Margulis, L. 1974. Atmosphere homeostasis by and for the biosphere: the Gaia hypothesis.Tellus,26, 2.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lovelock, J.E. 1979.Gaia: a New Look at Life on Earth. Oxford University Press, Oxford.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lovelock, J.E. 1986. Gaia: the world as a living organism.New Scientist,1939, 25–28.

    Google Scholar 

  • Li, Y. 1972. Geochemical mass balance among lithosphere, hydrosphere and atmosphere.American Journal of Science,272, 119–137.

    Google Scholar 

  • Margulis, L. and Lovelock, J.E. 1981. Atmospheres and evolution. In: J. Billingham (ed.),Life in the Universe. M.I.T. Press, Cambridge, Mass.

    Google Scholar 

  • Moffatt, I. 1982. Paradigmus en geologia: del catastrofismo a la tectonica de placas.Geo-Critica, 42. University of Barcelona, Spain.

    Google Scholar 

  • Moffatt, I. 1986. The Gaia hypothesis, self-organisation and the dynamics of the global environment. In: G.C. Vansteenkiste, E.J.H. Kerckhoffs, L. Dekker and J.C. Zuidervaart eds.),Proceedings of the 2nd European Simulation Congress, pp.151–154. Antwerp, Belgium.

    Google Scholar 

  • Popper, K. 1963.The Logic of Scientific Discovery. Harper Torch Books, New York.

    Google Scholar 

  • Prigogine,I., Nicolis, G. and Babloyant, A. 1972. Thermodynamics of evolution.Physics Today, Nov. pp.23–28; Dec. pp.38–44.

  • Rossow, W.G., Henderson-Sellers, A. and Weinreich, S.K. 1982. Cloud feedback: a stabilising effect for the early Earth.Science,217, 1245.

    Google Scholar 

  • Watson, A.J. and Lovelock, J.E. 1983. Biological homeostasis of the global environment: the parable of Daisyworld.Tellus,35, 284.

    Google Scholar 

  • Wayne, R.P. 1985.Chemistry of Atmospheres. Clarendon Press, Oxford.

    Google Scholar 

  • White, I.D., Mottershead, D.N. and Harrison, S.J. 1984.Environmental Systems: An Introductory Text. Allen and Unwin, London.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. University of Stirling, FK9 4LA, Stirling, Scotland

    Ian Moffatt

Authors
  1. Ian Moffatt
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Additional information

Dr Ian Moffatt is a member of the staff of the Department of Environmental Science at the University of Stirling.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Moffatt, I. Global dynamics: Gaia or geochemistry?. Environmentalist 9, 39–44 (1989). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02242481

Download citation

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02242481

Keywords

Search

Navigation