paleonet Re: Geobiology

["N. MacLeod" <N.MacLeod@xxxxxxxxx>]

Etymology is OK, but I was hoping to take the deeper temperature of 
people's feelings toward geobiology. From the responses thus far it 
seems that the term (and perhaps the subject) has little resonance 
with PaleoNet subscribers? Is that correct? Do people just not know 
much about geobiology or have they considered it and decided that 
geobiology really doesn't have much to offer them?

The following is taken from the most comprehensive description I've 
come across thus far.

At its heart, geobiological research merges disciplines in the earth 
and biological sciences, including, but not restricted to 
microbiology, microbial ecology, plant physiology, microbial ecology, 
plant physiology, molecular biology, paleontology, early evolutionary 
ecology, mineralogy, geochemistry, oceanography, and astrobiology.

That's a pretty tall order and somewhat heavily weighted to 
biological subdisciplines. It would seem the default option is for 
geobiology to primarily attract biological contributions and develop 
into a biological discipline. Personally, I've got no axe to grind, 
one way or the other. Stratigraphical paleontology survived 
introduction of the paleobiology paradigm and I'm quite sure both 
will be around long after geobiology sorts itself out (which it 
will). I suppose my question is whether anyone sees any advantage for 
paleontology to assimilate geobiology the way paleobiology was 
assimilated. Geobiology's current practitioners (e.g., Andy Knoll) 
clearly have offered paleontology an invitation to join them. If the 
majority of paleontology isn't interested, OK (Andy and his 
colleagues will survive and prosper). But, as a (currently) 
disinterested observer, I'm curious as to why geobiology seems to be 
a such a non-starter.

Norm MacLeod



>Thanks to Ian Francis for clarifying the meaning of 'geobiology'. Although
>the term is now too well established to dislodge, it is not well thought
>out.
>
>Geophysics = physics of the earth
>Biophysics = physics of life
>Geochemistry = chemistry of the earth
>Biochemistry = chemistry of life
>
>thus
>Geobiology = biology of the earth = virtually ALL biology so far known;
>and
>BIOGEOLOGY = geology of life
>
>Andrew K. Rindsberg
>Geological Survey of Alabama
>
>"My friend," said Howland Owl to Churchy Lafemme, "The word you want is
>'macerated'."
>"That's what I said! 'Masticated'!"
>--after Walt Kelly


-- 


___________________________________________________________________________

Dr. Norman MacLeod
Keeper of Palaeontology
The Natural History Museum,
Cromwell Road, London, SW7 5BD

(0)20-7942-5204 (Office)
(0)20-7942-5546 (Fax)
N.MacLeod@nhm.ac.uk (e-mail)

Web Page: http://www.nhm.ac.uk/palaeontology/a&ss/nm/nm.html
NHM Palaeo. Dept. BURP Update: http://www.nhm.ac.uk/palaeontology/burp.html

___________________________________________________________________________