2001/05/01 by Timothy M. Lenton, Werner von Bloh · 5 citations
Earth and Planetary Sciences · Physics and Astronomy · Environmental Science · #Earth Systems and Cosmic Evolution #Space Science and Extraterrestrial Life #Climate Change and Geoengineering
paper · pdf · doi:10.1029/2000gl012198
openalex publication_date 2001/05/01 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/06/11
The Sun is becoming more luminous with time and will eventually overheat the biosphere. However, life cools the Earth by amplifying the rate of silicate rock weathering and maintaining a low level of atmospheric CO 2 . Recent studies indicate a much stronger biotic weathering effect than in models used to estimate the life span of the biosphere. Here we show that the resulting feedback lengthens the survival of complex life by delaying the loss of CO 2 from the atmosphere. The weathering biota can potentially maintain the Earth in a habitable state when otherwise it would be too hot for them. If so, catastrophic warming rather than gradual CO 2 starvation will terminate complex life. Despite the possibility of an irreversible collapse, the current biosphere should remain resilient to carbon cycle perturbation or mass extinction events for at least 0.8 Gyr and may survive for up to 1.2 Gyr.