Abstract

The main purpose of this second essay the “biospherology” is to streamline and formalize the existing knowledge about the biosphere, to develop the theoretical basis of the theory of evolution of the biosphere. Despite the vast amount of research on ways of origin and development of life, yet there is no generally accepted theory of evolution of life on Earth, which would not only contain the phenomenology of this process, but also an understanding of the mechanism of functioning of the biosphere as a self-regulating living organism. In the first essay, the necessity of such an understanding to preserve life-supporting functions of the biosphere under increasing anthropogenic pressure. As solution it has been proposed in the form of transition to the managed evolution of the biosphere – to process of maintenance of life-supporting ability of the biosphere by management of Humankind activity. This essay is an attempt to create a consistent picture of the structure and functioning of the Earth life, the main achievements of the evolution of life, led to the almost completely closed self-sustaining biosphere cycling of substance and energy, the growth of "sum of life" and evolve the social form of matter from biological one. The proposed view of the multidimensional picture of life on Earth consists of the determination of necessary and sufficient properties of a life matter, formulate functioning principles of the life, and determind of the different levels of organization of life. Among the main features of living: discreetness, integritiness, self-reproducibility, dissymmetriness, cooperativeness, mortality, orderness, energy saturation, informational content. Among the main principles of the functioning of the life: the unity of the biological structure and the program for its construction, transmitted in generations; matrix way of transmission of the programs of development; spontaneity and non-directional changes of the development programs; securing successful changes by natural selection; geometrical progression of reproduction as a “spring” of life. There are four basic levels of organization of life: molecular-genetics, ontogenetics, species-populational, ecosystemic. Among the main features of the evolution of the biosphere: spreading of life on the planet; the uprising of the biosphere’ turnover of matters on the basis of the use of solar energy; increasing of the closeness of this turnover; strengthening the energy flow through the biosphere; the increase in mass of organic matter involved in this cycle; the emergence of the genetic code; the emergence of eukaryotes; increasing of the structural and functional diversity of the biosphere. Among the major achievements of evolution in the plant world: improving the chemical mechanisms of photosynthesis, plants access to land ; the growth of the photosynthetic capacity of terrestrial plant communities. Among the main achievements of evolution in the animal world: the appearance of the skeleton, hemoglobin; increasing the independence from the external factors ; the emergence of the nervous system and sociality. Among the patterns of evolution of organs and functions in different groups of living organisms: the intensification of functions; intensification of the multifunctionality and duplications of biological systems components; supplementation of new functions to the old. Chorologically biosphere is composed of ecosystems of all sizes, including biogeocoenoses. Biogeocoenoses are minimal spatial unit of biosphere with its own evolutionary destiny. The Biosphere as whole is not only the largest Earth’ ecosystem, but also sovereign living system. The main functional feature of the biosphere is almost a vicious turnover of the matters; a phytomass becomes zoomass and mikrobiomass, and after their dying off both become a nekromass. Photosynthesis transforms of mineral mass again into a phytomass. This turnover of matter based on the division of all living organisms on the producers, of consumers, and decomposers. Before the Anthropocene the degree of closure of the turnover of matter in the Earth’ ecosystem have reached, apparently, extreme values in 90–99%. This was due to more efficient utilization of waste of each of the trophic level, thanks to the growth of a biodiversity. During evolution of the biosphere intensity of turnover of chemical elements on the planet grew. The turnover rate in warm-blooded animals hundreds times higher than in cold-blooded ones. Although most of the biomass is turn into nekromass, a small portion turn into the propaguls, transferred by the arrow of time and providing the self-renewal of ecosystems. Its nonlinearity was essential feature of evolution of the biosphere – the periods of smooth development were replaced accelerated. Maintenance of life on the planet was the main functional imperative of the biosphere at all stages of its evolution to an Anthropocene. A "memory" of the biosphere canalizes occurring in the biosphere subsequent changes. This a "memory" allows to multiply successful evolutionary discoveries, and resulted of the emergence of more and more complex forms of life. The basis of the matter turnover is the trophic chain. The emergence of new species, with their new ecological niches increases the degree of differentiation of the biomass and increases the degree of closure of the turnover of matter. The third essay from the “biospherology” seria will devoted to identification of those specific “levers” which can be used for management of evolution of the biosphere.