Biosphere renewal capabilities

Already formulated in 1842, the concept of biosphere was defined in 1875 by Swiss geologist Suess as the part of the earthly sphere in which life manifests itself.

Other definitions were subsequently proposed or applied: either the part of the terrestrial elements where life developed or all living organisms, which tends to confuse it with biomass.

More recently, it has been replaced by “ecosphere”, which better characterizes all the regions of the Earth’s sphere involved in global ecological balance, or by “symbiosphere” to characterize the interdependence between living species, from the perspective of Lovelock and its theory Gaïa.
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When it comes to biocapacity of the biosphere, reference is made to the limits beyond which certain constraints, particularly those exerted by human activities, cause irreversible degradation. For example: excess chemical pollution weakens some species so that the existing ecological balance is compromised.

There is usually resilience, in the sense that after some time the previous equilibrium manages to recover without keeping too much aftereffects. In other cases, some species may have been permanently eradicated, so that the previous equilibrium can no longer recover and is replaced by a new equilibrium, generally unfavourable to other species or to the human species.

It is clear that the current situation has already far exceeded these limits and that many species have definitely disappeared. The biochemical balance of the soil, the presence of heavy metals and countless harmful molecules from the chemical industry, plus the presence of mechanical wastes such as plastic particles, increasingly compromise a hypothetical return to the natural state.

There is no guarantee, if the situation worsens further, that the new balances that can be put in place will ensure adequate subsistence for the surviving species, especially the human species. It is essential that humanity becomes aware of the danger it poses to the biosphere and whose consequences will inevitably be paid by future generations.

Among these dangers, the main one is simply overloading the biosphere under the weight of the demographic explosion. Even if most ecological nuisances are avoided, the digital problem remains.

The biosphere is limited. It is imperative to limit the population.