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«One of the principal reasons for the rejuvenation of scientific syntheses (which used to make up such a large part of nineteenth century science) is the growing realization that the very survival of modern civilization is inextricably tied to the fate of our environment, to changes in the Earth's biosphere. And anybody with even the most basic understanding of the environment realizes that in order to minimize the impact on the biosphere modern societies need integrated, multidisciplinary studies that inform by the breadth of their syntheses. I wrote The Earth's Biosphere to further this fundamental understanding.»
Smil, in a presentation marked by balance and clarity, synthesizes the field of science dealing with the biosphere. It is an interdisciplinary one, combining organic chemistry, geology, solar physics, microbiology, zoology, and more. Whatever characteristics the biosphere displays on a global scale depend on living matter's fundamental chemistry, so Smil diagrams the structural backbone of cells - molecules such as cellulose or DNA. Moving next through types of metabolism, such as the ATP cycle, Smil explains the resultant chemical products and how they become fixed or cycled through the ground, water, or atmosphere. Addressing concerns about human influences on the biosphere, Smil describes them, but he is a scientist to the core (at the University of Manitoba) and is hesitant to proclaim doom as the certain outcome. That scientific humility only enhances Smil's work. A superior, comprehensive survey.
Preface
Evolution of the Idea
From Vernadsky to a Science of the Global Environment
Life in the Universe
Attributes, Constraints, and Probabilities
Life's Diversity and Resilience
Metabolisms, Species, Catastrophes
Energizing the Biosphere
Solar Radiation and the Earth’s Pleat
Water and Material Flows
Biospheric Cycles
The Biosphere's Extent
The Moveable Boundaries
The Biosphere's Mass and Productivity
Quantifying Life’s Presence and Performance
The Biosphere's Dynamics and Organization
Fundamental Rules and Grand Patterns
Civilization and the Biosphere
The Earth Transformed by Human Action
Epilogue
Appendixes
References
Scientific Name Index
Name Index
Subject Index