Beyond planetary-scale feedback self-regulation: Gaia as an autopoietic system

Area of Science:

• Systems Biology
• Planetary Science
• Theoretical Ecology

Background:

• The Gaia hypothesis posits Earth as a living system.
• Existing interpretations focus on feedback regulation, a trait not exclusive to life.
• Autopoiesis, a theory defining living systems by self-production, offers an alternative framework.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the Gaia hypothesis through the lens of autopoietic systems theory.
• To determine if planetary-scale autopoiesis is a scientifically tractable concept.
• To explore the implications of autopoiesis for understanding Earth's autonomy and anticipation.

Main Methods:

• Application of Chemical Organization Theory (COT) and the Zero Deficiency Theorem (ZDT).
• Analysis of a representative Earth molecular reaction network.
• Identification of self-producing organizations within the network.

Main Results:

• Proof-of-concept supports Gaia as an autopoietic system.
• Identified self-producing organizations align with key periods in Earth's history.
• Demonstrated the formation of autopoiesis in a simplified Earth system model.

Conclusions:

• The Gaia hypothesis is a tractable question when framed by autopoiesis.
• Planetary autopoiesis may manifest biological features like autonomy and anticipation.
• Findings inform Gaia theory, climate modeling, and geoengineering strategies.