The Main Features of Global Photosynthesis and its Evolution inthe Global Carbon Turnover

Abstract

Global photosynthesis is the key element of the recently proposed global carbon cycle model. It describes an integral action of ensemble of photosynthesizing organisms in large systems, like biosphere and global carbon cycle. At least two main features associated with the participation of global photosynthesis in large systems, differs it from conventional photosynthesis of individual organism. The first is the cyclic character of the photosynthesis evolution, and the second is spontaneous striving of global photosynthesis to the ecological compensation point that brings the carbon cycle to a stationary state. It is shown that the conventional photosynthesis equation should be modified to describe this process in the biosphere and in the global carbon cycle. The terms “living matter” and “sedimentary organic carbon” were used as an analog of biomass in the equation of global photosynthesis. Corresponding changes were made
to describe the second product of global photosynthesis-atmospheric oxygen. Considering that the global carbon cycle reached the ecological compensation point that occurred in the Miocene, when the further accumulation of oxygen in the atmosphere and sedimentary organic matter in the earth’s crust ended, the obtained approximate equations of photosynthesis were used to estimate the world’s potential oil resources. To test the predictive capability of the model we compared the above characteristic with its analogue, the world’s initial summary resources, calculated by independent geological methods. In spite of various assumptions a surprising proximity was found. It evidences that the model itself and underlying physical foundations are realistic and can be used
as approximation in solving different problems in geology, evolution, climatology and related fields of knowledge.