WIT Press


Adaptations Of Life To The Ongoing Environmental Changes

Price

Free (open access)

Volume

67

Pages

10

Published

2003

Size

506.72 kb

Paper DOI

10.2495/SPD030271

Copyright

WIT Press

Author(s)

F. Zucconi & R. Cocci Grifoni

Abstract

Adaptations of Life to the ongoing environmental changes F. Zucconi & R. Cocci Grifoni Dept. of Energetics, Marche Polytechnic University, Ancona - Italy Abstract The Earth ecosystem is undergoing a rapid transformation, due to a disorder caused by an unsustainable exploitation of resources. The process invests a broad spectrum of events, and yet the attention is today focused on the climatic changes and on C02 emissions from carbon and oil combustion, the chosen culprit of global warming. However, the C02 equilibrium is regulated by the biosphere, which is today upset by an extensive destruction of the green Earth mantle and of organic matter (litter and humus). The shift causes hidden C02 emissions, lowers the carbon immobilization and alters food chains, with effects that go well beyond the climate. It also results in a reduction of the saprophyteibiotrophe ratio, including disease agents, and then causing a growing sufferance for the living organisms. The analysis of global changes is there

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