The Combined System Earth - Life
The development and dynamics of the abiotic system Earth (geosphere, hydrosphere and atmosphere) and life on the planet (the biosphere) mutually influence one another. The consequences of global warming, the rising sea level and the destruction of ecosystems, for example, affect biotic and abiotic nature equally. Fossils, rocks, sediments and glaciers all serve as important »archives«, in which climatic and environmental information from earlier periods of the Earth’s history are stored.
Therefore samples from every geological era and all parts of the Earth have to be extracted and studied with the help of modern laboratory technology. By comparing today's situation with the history of the Earth's development, scientists are able to construct the necessary framework for understanding the sensitive system Earth - Life , which is naturally subject to changes and is being further changed by human activities.
