本文简要介绍了Gaia理论的提出背景、科学内涵,及其最初验证模型——雏菊世界。Gaia理论将地球与生物当作一个可以自我调节的整体,强调生物圈对全球环境的调节作用。在此基础上,文章着重分析Gaia理论在全球变化、地质事件、生物进化研究中的应用,指出在进行地球系统科学研究过程中,应以Gaia理论为指导,不能把生物仅仅作为环境的附属产品,而片面强调环境对生物进化的制约。同时也要认清生物在自身进化的同时,也积极地调节着全球环境,使之更有利于生物进化。生物圈是地球具有生命的直观体现,同时也是联系地球各圈层的关键环节。正确认识生物圈对于全球环境演化的调节作用,不仅帮助我们认识地球系统的全貌,更可以推动地学研究深入发展,对全面研究全球变化有积极意义。Gaia理论正处于发展期,理论需要进一步发展与完善,在实际应用中,应该对现有的学科进行更为广泛的综合。我国地学工作者应该抓住这一科学方向,为地球系统科学理论做出应有的贡献。
This paper introduces the Gaia theory in brief. The theory claims that the biosphere and the non-living matters could be regarded as a self-regulating system. Scientists on Gaia think that biology not only adapts to physical environment, but regulates the global condition actively. The correlation between Gala theory and the study of earth system science is analyzed in this paper, too. We suggest that (1) the theory plays an important role in studying global change, geological events and biology evolution, (2) the panorama of the earth evolution can be understood more clearly on the basis of Gala, (3) recognizing the regulation of biosphere is necessary for estimating the global change and interaction between the geospheres.