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Are planets living organisms?
- Thread starter Ether's Bane
- Start date
M&F
tikitok
- Pronoun
- any
Perhaps, but it's the first and foremost. If predators never existed, what would stop the world from becoming extremely crowded? Perhaps there would be factors to make the massive levels be reached later, but nothing would stop them from being reached altogether. It's worth remembering mankind managed to rise above all predators, and now, we're billions.
Speaking of mankind, human history is good evidence that stability leads to instability.
Speaking of mankind, human history is good evidence that stability leads to instability.
- Pronoun
- he/him
No, it isn't. First and foremost is the limited availability of space and resources. Humans rose in numbers because we discovered ways to increase the number of resources available to us, and to adapt to environments where we previously couldn't survive. Nothing to do with predators.
How do you explain apex predators? Nothing hunts them, and yet they don't go extinct.
How do you explain apex predators? Nothing hunts them, and yet they don't go extinct.
M&F
tikitok
- Pronoun
- any
Hm... I guess that's true.
On the matter of apex predators, though, if I'm not misunderstanding the term, there's the fact each individual that eats another individual only gets about 10% of their energy, so, they'd have to hunt more in order to satisfy their energy needs. The ones unable to do so would starve, meaning population would be under control by natural selection.
On the matter of apex predators, though, if I'm not misunderstanding the term, there's the fact each individual that eats another individual only gets about 10% of their energy, so, they'd have to hunt more in order to satisfy their energy needs. The ones unable to do so would starve, meaning population would be under control by natural selection.
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No. No it wouldn't. You are misunderstanding the process of natural selection.
But your thinking is right. Of course they would die because of lack of food! But why shouldn't this apply to other trophic levels as well? Primary consumers, primary carnivores, whatever; once a certain population size is reached, the environment cannot sustain them all and the population will fall. No predators needed. That was the point I was making.
But your thinking is right. Of course they would die because of lack of food! But why shouldn't this apply to other trophic levels as well? Primary consumers, primary carnivores, whatever; once a certain population size is reached, the environment cannot sustain them all and the population will fall. No predators needed. That was the point I was making.
Doctor Jimmy
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Is the planet an organism? No.
However, one must take into account what does go on inside a planet: tectonic plates move, climate changes, seasons change, tides get lower or higher, grass grows...
To say that the planet is not an active body of mass that transforms, carries, and recycles energy constantly would be a lie. Earth is constantly changing, and although it might not be alive, it is an active biosphere that resembles, in some way, stuff that is living.
However, one must take into account what does go on inside a planet: tectonic plates move, climate changes, seasons change, tides get lower or higher, grass grows...
To say that the planet is not an active body of mass that transforms, carries, and recycles energy constantly would be a lie. Earth is constantly changing, and although it might not be alive, it is an active biosphere that resembles, in some way, stuff that is living.
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Creasy
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The Gaia hypothesis has existed longer than your preferred definition of "life," opaltiger.
A similar point could be made against any superorganism.
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So? I believe I have already pointed out that the Gaia hypothesis never claims that the Earth is literally alive. Also, while it may be true that the characteristics of life as they are stated today postdate the Gaia hypothesis, I am willing to wager they have been around in some form for much longer.
But no one is saying that a superorganism is literally a single organism.
