Biosphere

BIOSPHERE (from bio... and sphere), the shell of the Earth, the composition, structure and energy of the k-swarm in beings, features are due to the past or present activity of living organisms. B. covers part of the atmosphere, the hydrosphere and the upper part of the lithosphere, which are interconnected by complex biogeochemistry. cycles of migration of substances and energy (according to V. I. Vernadsky, -biogenic migration of atoms); the initial moment of these cycles is the transformation of solar energy by plants and the synthesis of biogenic substances on Earth (see Photosynthesis, Chemosynthesis). The term "B." was introduced in 1875 by the Austr. geologist E. Suess. The general doctrine of B. was created in the 20-30s. 20 V. V. I. Vernadsky, who developed V. V. Dokuchaev's ideas about complex natural history. analysis of interacting differences in nature. objects and phenomena (factors of soil formation) and identification of independent natural objects of heterogeneous structure and composition (soils, natural zones). Vernadsky's teaching is based on the ideas of: I) the planetary geochemical role of living matter (the totality of all living organisms that existed or existed in a certain period of time, considered as a powerful geologist. factor; unlike living beings studied in biology at all levels of their organization, starting from the molecular, living matter, in Vernadsky's understanding, is a biogeochemical. the factor is quantified in elementary chemistry. composition, mass and energy) and 2) on the organization of B., which is the product of a complex transformation of material-energy and information. flows of living matter during geologic. the history of the Earth.

B. includes not only the area of life (biogeosphere, phytogeosphere, geomerida, vitasphere), but also other structures of the Earth that are genetically related to living matter. According to Vernadsky, the substance of B. consists of seven diverse, but geologically interconnected parts: living matter; biogenic matter; inert matter; biokosny substance; radioactive substance; scattered atoms; cosmic substance. origin. Within B., either living matter or traces of its biogeochemical activity are found everywhere. Atmospheric gases (oxygen, nitrogen, carbon dioxide), natural waters, as well as caustobiolites (oil, coal), limestones, clays and their metamorphic. derivatives (shales, marbles, granites, etc.) are basically created by the living matter of the planet. The layers of the Earth's crust, deprived of living matter at present, but processed by him in geology, in the past, Vernadsky referred to the area of "former biospheres". B. mosaic in structure and composition, reflecting geochemistry. and geophysicist. heterogeneity of the face of the Earth (oceans, lakes, mountains, gorges, plains, etc. and the uneven distribution of living matter on the planet both in past epochs and in our time. The maximum content of living matter of the hydrosphere is confined to shallow waters, the minimum - to deep waters (abyssal); on land, this unevenness is manifested in the mosaic of biogeocenotic. cover (forests, swamps, steppes, deserts, etc.) with a minimum density of living matter in the highlands, deserts and polar regions (see Biomass). The elementary structure of the active part of modern B.- biogeocenosis.

Living matter performs trace, biogeochemical functions: gas (migration of gases and their transformations); concentration (accumulation by living organisms of chemical elements from the external environment); redox (chemical transformations of substances containing atoms with variable valence - compounds of iron, manganese, trace elements, etc.); biochemical and biogeochemical functions associated with human activity (technogenesis, a form of creation and transformation of matter into B., stimulating the transition of B. to a new state - the noosphere). The totality of these functions determines all chemical transformations in B. The evolution of B. is dialectically connected with the evolution of the forms of living matter (organisms and their communities), the complication of its biochemical functions, occurring against the background of geologic. the history of the Earth.

In the doctrine of B. distinguish the following. osn. aspects: energetic, illuminating the connection of biospheric-planetary phenomena with cosmic. radiation (mainly solar) and radioactive processes in the earth's interior; biogeochemical, reflecting the role of living matter in the distribution and behavior of atoms (more precisely, their isotopes) in B. and its structures (see Biogeochemistry); informational, studying the principles of organization and management carried out in living nature in connection with the study of the influence of living matter on the structure and composition of B.; spatio-temporal, illuminating the formation and evolution of various structures of B. in geologic. time in connection with the peculiarities of the spatio-temporal organization of living matter in B. (problems of symmetry, etc.); n o o s f e r n i, studying the global effects of the impact of humanity on the structure and chemistry of B.: the development of minerals, the production of new substances that were previously absent in B. (e.g., pure aluminum, iron, etc. metals), transformation of biogeocenotic structures of B. (deforestation, drainage of swamps, plowing of virgin lands, creation of reservoirs, pollution of waters, soils and atmosphere with household products. activities, fertilization, soil erosion, afforestation, construction of cities, dams, fishing equipment, etc.). Man's entry into space, beyond the limits of B., will stimulate the development of new aspects of the doctrine of B. Beings, the moment of the doctrine of B. - the idea of interrelations (forward and backward links) and the conjugate evolution of all structures of B. This idea is the basis for the development of many national. and international. organizations, scientific centers and laboratories of the "biosphere and humanity" problem. The solution to this problem is provided by events in which many people participate. countries, e.g. International hydrological. decade, International Biologich. The increased interest in the study of B. is caused by the fact that the local human impact on B., characteristic of all previous history, was replaced in the 20th century by its global influence on the composition, structure and resources of B. There is no land or sea area on the planet where traces of human activity were not found. One of the most striking examples is the global fallout of radioactive fallout - the products of nuclear explosions. In the atmosphere, the ocean and on land are everywhere present (even in the most insignificant. number of) combustion products of oil, coal, gases, chemical waste, etc. industries, pesticides and fertilizers removed from fields during water and wind erosion. Intensive and irrational use of B. resources - water, gas, biological, etc., aggravated by the arms race, nuclear weapons tests, etc., dispelled the myth of the infinity and inexhaustibility of these resources. Numerous examples of destruction, human activity and, unfortunately, rare examples of his creative activity (including in terms of nature protection) indicate the relevance of the reasonable conduct of earthly affairs by intelligent humanity, which is possible only in the transition from spontaneous capitalist. pro-va to the planned x-vu socialist. and a communist. societies. Naturally-scientific. the basis of a rational approach to the problem of "the biosphere and humanity" - one of the grandest problems of our time - is the doctrine of biology and biogeocenology - disciplines that study the general principles and mechanisms of functioning and evolution of communities of living organisms in certain spatial and temporal conditions. Sovr. The structure of B. is a product of the long evolution of mn. systems of varying complexity, consistently striving for a state of dynamic equilibrium. Practical. the significance of the doctrine of B. is enormous. Especially interested in the development of this teaching are healthcare, agriculture, commercial farming, and other human industries. practitioners who more often than others face "retaliatory blows" from B., caused by an unreasonable or careless transformation of nature by man.