<p>Papers like <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20970394/" rel="nofollow noreferrer">1</a>, <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/0895717794901880" rel="nofollow noreferrer">2</a>, etc. and the work of Axel Kleidon (e.g. <a href="https://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/10.1098/rspb.1987.0067" rel="nofollow noreferrer">3</a>) suggest that the the biosphere increases the production of entropy of Earth but I'd like to know if we could quantify this in a simple way. What would the entropy production be without life? If we knew that then the difference between what it is estimated to be would be easy to calculate.</p>
<ol>
<li><a href="https://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/10.1098/rspb.1987.0067" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Ulanowicz, R.E. and Hannon, B.M., 1987</a>. Life and the production of entropy. Proceedings of the Royal society of London. Series B. Biological sciences, 232(1267), pp.181-192.</li>
<li><a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/0895717794901880" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Schneider, E.D. and Kay, J.J., 1994</a>. Life as a manifestation of the second law of thermodynamics. Mathematical and computer modelling, 19(6-8), pp.25-48.</li>
<li><a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20970394/" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Kleidon, A., 2010</a>. Life, hierarchy, and the thermodynamic machinery of planet Earth. Physics of life reviews, 7(4), pp.424-460.</li>
</ol>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-04-29T20:28:34.873Z
This sounds like a better fit to the biology stack.
John
CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-04-30T01:31:56.143Z
I suggest going to the biology stack and asking a much simpler question that will give you the same answer. "how much energy is consumed by all life on earth combined"
John
CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-04-30T07:01:32.070Z
I think that the thermodynamics and entropy of *Earth's entire biosphere* is of more interest to today's Earth Scientists than today's Biologists.
uhoh
CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-05-02T04:48:33.573Z
@uhoh only if you have never heard of ecology. Also interest is not the same as who will best be able to answer.
John
CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-05-02T04:49:56.287Z
@John if they were the same, there would not be two different words. Seven is not the same thing as 7 is not the same thing as 0000111.
uhoh
CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-05-04T12:46:11.797Z
This looks like its for Biology SE, Questions about life on Earth Science are fine, but they need to mention something geographical, (Like Volcanism, etc) for it to be eligible.
Tardy
CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-05-06T02:08:56.157Z
@MooseSmart can you link to something in the help center or meta that says that Earth Science SE questions must "mention something geographical (Like Volcanism, etc)"? *Thanks!*
uhoh
<planetary-science><earth-system><thermodynamics><energy-balance>
How much does the biosphere contribute to Earth's entropy production?
Anthony
# How much does the biosphere contribute to Earth's entropy production?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2021-04-29)

Papers like [1](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20970394/), [2](https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/0895717794901880), etc. and the work of Axel Kleidon (e.g. [3](https://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/10.1098/rspb.1987.0067)) suggest that the the biosphere increases the production of entropy of Earth but I'd like to know if we could quantify this in a simple way. What would the entropy production be without life? If we knew that then the difference between what it is estimated to be would be easy to calculate.

1. [Ulanowicz, R.E. and Hannon, B.M., 1987](https://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/10.1098/rspb.1987.0067). Life and the production of entropy. Proceedings of the Royal society of London. Series B. Biological sciences, 232(1267), pp.181-192.
2. [Schneider, E.D. and Kay, J.J., 1994](https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/0895717794901880). Life as a manifestation of the second law of thermodynamics. Mathematical and computer modelling, 19(6-8), pp.25-48.
3. [Kleidon, A., 2010](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20970394/). Life, hierarchy, and the thermodynamic machinery of planet Earth. Physics of life reviews, 7(4), pp.424-460.

**Tags:** planetary-science, earth-system, thermodynamics, energy-balance

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: This sounds like a better fit to the biology stack.  
> **username_1**: I suggest going to the biology stack and asking a much simpler question that will give you the same answer. "how much energy is consumed by all life on earth combined"  
> **username_2**: I think that the thermodynamics and entropy of *Earth's entire biosphere* is of more interest to today's Earth Scientists than today's Biologists.  
> **username_1**: @username_2 only if you have never heard of ecology. Also interest is not the same as who will best be able to answer.  
> **username_2**: @username_1 if they were the same, there would not be two different words. Seven is not the same thing as 7 is not the same thing as 0000111.  
> **username_3**: This looks like its for Biology SE, Questions about life on Earth Science are fine, but they need to mention something geographical, (Like Volcanism, etc) for it to be eligible.  
> **username_2**: @MooseSmart can you link to something in the help center or meta that says that Earth Science SE questions must "mention something geographical (Like Volcanism, etc)"? *Thanks!*  

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## 0 answers

