• 责任者：Yin Hongfu (Key Laboratory of Biogeology and Environmental Geology of Ministry of Education ; China University of Geosciences ; Wuhan 430074 ; China) ; Xie Shucheng
• 刊名：Acta Palaeontologica Sinica
• 出版年：2009
• 卷期：48(3)
• 关键词：地球科学 ; Earth sciences ; 生物学 ; biology
• 页码：p.293-301
• 图表：44 refs.
• 分类号：0100
• issnNo：ISSN0001-6616
• isbnNo：CN32-1188/Q

Geobiology is the 1st order interdisciplinary study between geosciences and biosciences. It studies one of the three basic processes of the earth system, the biological process, which is the interaction between biosphere and other spheres of the earth. Thus, it deals with not only the earth’s influence on the biosphere, but also the biosphere’s influence on the earth system. Such interaction or mutual influence has been going on in a synergetic and coupled manner since the emergence of life on earth. The coevolution between life and the earth’s environment is the core of geobiology. The development of geobiology is emphasized on geomicrobiology. Macro-organisms are capable of reflecting the influence and control of the earth’s environment on them and their adaptation to the environment, but except the flora, their influence on the environment is limited. The bilateral interaction between biosphere and geospheres has to be studied through geomicrobiological research. Microscopic study is a general tendency of biosciences and natural science as a whole, through which new theories, techniques, and methods are developed impetuously. Paleontology should not stagnate at the stage dominated by paleozoology and paleobotany, but should keep synchronized with biosciences and natural sciences as a whole. We have now found some approaches to resolve the difficulties in the interdisciplinary study of microbiology and geology. The geological significance of microbial functional groups would be the breakthrough point of geomicrobiological research. Geobiology inherits and surpasses paleontology. Taxonomy will still be the basis of the study. However, geobiology, traditional paleontology included, will increasingly interchange and merge with physics, chemistry, biology, and other disciplines theoretically and methodologically. As a result, paleontology will recall far back in time and extend far beyond in space. A broad perspective is opened for paleontology in the study of earth system science and its service to society at large.