Research Project L. Pellissier and C. Albouy

With this project, we aim to unravel the complex feedback between Earth's physical processes and the evolution of life by using advanced simulations. By integrating geodynamics, climate, surface processes, and biological evolution, we aim to understand how changes in Earth's interior influence photosynthetic life and how these organisms, in turn, shape the planet's physical dynamics.

Abstract

The evolution of Earth's complex ecosystems is closely tied to changes in the planet's physical conditions. For instance, massive volcanic events, driven by mantle plumes, have been linked to significant extinction events, followed by bursts of new life. Life itself can alter Earth's environment, creating feedback loops between biological and physical processes. Traditional research has taken a top-down approach, analyzing field data to understand these systems, but this method offers limited insight into how life and Earth’s physical processes interact. Recent advancements in numerical modeling provide a new way to explore these interactions, simulating the co-evolution of Earth's interior dynamics, climate, surface processes, and biological evolution. This project aims to use simulations to answer key questions about the feedback between life and Earth's physical systems, specifically focusing on how changes in the planet’s interior are connected to the evolution of photosynthetic life, and how these organisms, in turn, influence Earth’s abiotic processes.

Team

PI: Loïc Pellissier (ETH, Department of Environmental Systems Science)
Co-I: Camille Albouy (ETH, Department of Environmental Systems Science), Sean Willett (ETH, Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences), Paul Tackley (ETH, Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences)

Further information:

Co-evolution of planets and life