Beyond Gaia: Thermodynamics of Life and Earth System Functioning

<p>Green water - soil moisture, evaporation, and precipitation over land - is fundamental to safeguard Earth system functioning. Nonlinear green-water driven changes in climate, ecosystems, biogeochemistry, and hydrology are becoming increasingly evident and widespread. Yet, considerations of continental to planetary scale green-water dynamics are yet to be assessed and incorporated in management and governance. Here, we propose a green water planetary boundary (PB) - as part of the planetary boundary framework that demarcates a global &#8220;safe-operating space&#8221; for humanity - for assessing green-water related changes that can affect the capacity of the Earth system to remain in Holocene-like conditions. We consider green-water related processes associated with all scales: spatially distributed units, regions or biomes, and the Earth system as a whole. The proposed green water PB variable is selected through expert elicitation based on a set of transparent evaluation criteria that consider both scientific and governability aspects. Finally, we clarify the appropriate use of a green water PB, outline remaining challenges, and propose a research agenda for future navigation and quantitative assessments of the biophysical Earth system scale boundaries of green water changes.</p>

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Non-equilibrium thermodynamics, maximum entropy production and Earth-system evolution

Philosophical Transactions of The Royal Society A Mathematical Physical and Engineering Sciences ◽

10.1098/rsta.2009.0188 ◽

2010 ◽

Vol 368 (1910) ◽

pp. 181-196 ◽

Cited By ~ 40

Author(s):

Axel Kleidon

Keyword(s):

Entropy Production ◽

Maximum Entropy ◽

Thermodynamic Equilibrium ◽

Earth System ◽

Equilibrium Thermodynamic ◽

Equilibrium Thermodynamics ◽

System Evolution ◽

The Earth ◽

System Functioning ◽

Non Equilibrium

The present-day atmosphere is in a unique state far from thermodynamic equilibrium. This uniqueness is for instance reflected in the high concentration of molecular oxygen and the low relative humidity in the atmosphere. Given that the concentration of atmospheric oxygen has likely increased throughout Earth-system history, we can ask whether this trend can be generalized to a trend of Earth-system evolution that is directed away from thermodynamic equilibrium, why we would expect such a trend to take place and what it would imply for Earth-system evolution as a whole. The justification for such a trend could be found in the proposed general principle of maximum entropy production (MEP), which states that non-equilibrium thermodynamic systems maintain steady states at which entropy production is maximized. Here, I justify and demonstrate this application of MEP to the Earth at the planetary scale. I first describe the non-equilibrium thermodynamic nature of Earth-system processes and distinguish processes that drive the system’s state away from equilibrium from those that are directed towards equilibrium. I formulate the interactions among these processes from a thermodynamic perspective and then connect them to a holistic view of the planetary thermodynamic state of the Earth system. In conclusion, non-equilibrium thermodynamics and MEP have the potential to provide a simple and holistic theory of Earth-system functioning. This theory can be used to derive overall evolutionary trends of the Earth’s past, identify the role that life plays in driving thermodynamic states far from equilibrium, identify habitability in other planetary environments and evaluate human impacts on Earth-system functioning.

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An integrated research infrastructure concept with multidisciplinary observations on climate change

10.5194/egusphere-egu2020-3923 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Jaana Bäck ◽

Tuukka Petäjä ◽

Mari Pihlatie ◽

Janne Levula ◽

Timo Vesala ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Climate Change ◽

Research Infrastructure ◽

Ecosystem Structure ◽

Earth System ◽

Process Understanding ◽

Integrated Research ◽

System Functioning ◽

Temperature Records ◽

Statistical Relationships ◽

Atmospheric Concentrations

<p>The observations on global warming or elements relevant to climate change are frequently performed in isolation, which results in insufficient understanding of the whole Earth system functioning and feedbacks. Frequently CO2 emissions, atmospheric concentrations of greenhouse gases and the global air temperature records are pooled together to obtain statistical relationships and correlations between them. However, forecasting future changes and designing tools for mitigating their deleterious effects would require a more holistic and comprehensive observation scheme. We propose a concept of an integrated research infrastructure, where the feedbacks can be analysed with multidisciplinary and comprehensive observations. The SMEAR concept (Station for Measuring Earth system-Atmosphere Relations) has been developing into a powerful tool, allowing detection of trends in key climate, atmosphere and ecosystem parameters, providing detailed process understanding of atmosphere and ecosystem structure and functions, and facilitating deep insights on feedbacks between the ecosystems and atmosphere. The presentation gives examples of recent novel results, especially in the perspective of climate change feedbacks and mitigation in forest ecosystems.</p>

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An investigation of the relationship between autonomic nervous system functioning and diffuse vs. defended and bound anxiety

PsycEXTRA Dataset ◽

10.1037/e535112008-023 ◽

1964 ◽

Author(s):

Josephine H. Fink

Keyword(s):

Nervous System ◽

Autonomic Nervous System ◽

Autonomic Nervous ◽

System Functioning ◽

The Relationship

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Frontal System Functioning and Excessive Buying

PsycEXTRA Dataset ◽

10.1037/e566962012-498 ◽

2009 ◽

Author(s):

Paul Rose

Keyword(s):

Frontal System ◽

System Functioning

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Information technology for career guidance of creatively gifted university students

Informatics and Education ◽

10.32517/0234-0453-2020-35-8-6-15 ◽

2020 ◽

pp. 6-15

Author(s):

S. A. Piyavsky ◽

S. R. Kiryukov ◽

A. S. Kuznetsov ◽

G. A. Kulakov

Keyword(s):

University Students ◽

Career Guidance ◽

Practical Significance ◽

Structural Description ◽

Joint Research ◽

Research Activities ◽

Information And Communication ◽

System Functioning ◽

Gifted Youth ◽

Leading Enterprises

The article presents a structural description of the functioning of the regional information and communication system “Student and Labor” (SAL). This system is aimed at identifying and developing creatively gifted youth in the field of science, techniques and technology and is focused on the gradual involvement of university students in real work and interaction with leading enterprises in the region. The first cycle of the SAL system functioning is described, which has a complete character and has already led to a concrete result. The bank of information about the leading enterprises of the region that took part at the initial stage of the functioning of the SAL system were formed as well as the bank of 150 themes of scientific research for student projects, which were proposed by the enterprises themselves. All projects are focused on the practical significance of research for the enterprises themselves, as well as for students, their supervisors from universities and scientific consultants from enterprises that have embarked on joint research activities, which at the first stages are mostly of informational and educational nature. The Union of Employers of the Samara Region and the Council of Rectors of Universities in the Samara region are already taking the necessary measures to implement the described cycle of the functioning of the system SAL in the current academic year.

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