Research goals

To investigate the long-term evolution (10⁹ yr) of the ecosphere an Earth system model consisting of the atmosphere, continental crust, seafloor, mantle, biosphere and kerogen (i.e. long-term organic carbon deposit) components has been developed. This six-box model takes into account all the pertinent astrophysical, climatological, biogeochemical, and geodynamic processes involved in the generation of photosynthesis-driven life conditions. The long-scale variation of the insolation acts as an external forcing while geodynamic processes can be considered as an internal forcing for the biosphere and other surface reservoirs. This research is part of the PLACES project.

Project head:

Siegfried Franck †

Project scientists:

Werner von Bloh

Christine Bounama

External cooperations:

Konrad J. Kossacki, Institute of Geophysics of Warsaw University, Warsaw, Poland

Timothy M. Lenton, University of Exeter, UK

Publications

S. Franck, C. Bounama and W. von Bloh, 2008. The fate of planet Earth. Z. geol. Wiss. 6(3), 115-122

W. von Bloh, C. Bounama, K. Eisenack, B. Knopf and O. Walkenhorst, 2008. Estimating the biogenic enhancement factor of weathering using an inverse viability method. Ecol. Mod. 216, 245-251.

S. Franck, C. Bounama, and W. von Bloh, 2006. Causes and Timing of future biosphere extinctions. Biogeosciences 3, 85-92 (article).

W. von Bloh, C. Bounama, and S. Franck, 2003. Cambrian explosion triggered by geosphere-biosphere feedbacks. Geophys. Res. Lett. 30(18), 1963-1968.

W. von Bloh, S. Franck, C. Bounama, and H.-J. Schellnhuber, 2003. Biogenic enhancement of weathering and the stability of the ecosphere. Geomicrobio. J., 20(5), 501-511 (abstract).

S. Franck, K. J. Kossacki, W. von Bloh, and C. Bounama, 2002. Long-term evolution of the global carbon cycle: historic minimum of global surface temperature at present. Tellus 54B, 325-343 (abstract).

T. Lenton and W. von Bloh, 2001. Biotic feedback extends the life span of the biosphere. Geophys. Res. Lett. 28, no. 9, 1715-1718 (abstract, article in PDF-format, 352KB).

C. Bounama, S. Franck, and W. von Bloh, 2001. The fate of Earth's ocean. Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci. 5(4), 569-575 (abstract, full text as a PDF document).

S. Franck, W. von Bloh, C. Bounama, and H.-J. Schellnhuber, 2000. The future of the planet Earth and the life span of the biosphere. In: V. Burdyuzha and G. Khozin (eds.), the Future of the Universe and the Future of our Civilization, World Scientific, Singapore, 309-315 (abstract).

S. Franck, A. Block, W. von Bloh, C. Bounama., H. -J. Schellnhuber, and Y. M. Svirezhev, 2000. Reduction of life span as a consequence of geodynamics. Tellus 52B, 94-107 (abstract, full text as a HTML-document).