Symbiogenesis of planetary superorganism
Markos, A.
Center for Theoretical Study, Jilska 1, Praha 1, 110 00 Czechia
In Lovelock´s Gaia theory, the surface of the globe, including
organisms, atmosphere, hydrosphere, and lithosphere, can be
viewed as a unity, a self-evolving (super)organism. The model is
based on the concept of geophysiology - thermodynamic forcing,
with organisms playing role of catalyzers in maintaining
homeostasis. It is, however, argued that equally robust
anorganic models can be built where biota play only a marginal
role. I see the main difficulty in that physiology is not a
condition sufficient to distinguish an organism from a mere
feedback machine. In addition, an organism should be
characterized by (1) a body (built of cells and extracellular
matrix [ECM] in mutual interaction) endowed with ontogeny; (2) a
thesaurus of genetic information; and (3) biochemistry
(physiology) based on grammar (semantics) of signals different
from simple chemical mass-action ratios. Taken from this
perspective, there is no room for Gaia in a current view of
biosphere as a set of selfish individuals, each
testing their fitness on a free market of selection. I propose
here a notion that the Gaian superorganism does exist, and is
endowed with: (1) a body composed of all beings (with a leading
role of bacterial forms of cellular life), and of ECM comprizing
all elements of environment; (2) a shared gene pool easily
mobilizable by horizontal gene transfer; (3) ontogeny that can
be tracked back to dawn of life; (4) (geo)physiology maintaining
the homeostasis at successive ontogenetic stages, and based on
interpretation of environmental cues,information stored in
genes, and signals - readily diffusible or given by the
ultrastructure. (Supported by Charles University Grant 46/1995)
Markos, A. J. Theor Biol. 176, 175-180, 1995.
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