Conference Description
Geobiology is the study of the co-evolution of life and Earth, merging disciplines such as paleobiology, sedimentology, geomicrobiology, geochemistry, geology and evolutionary biology. Geobiology has developed a wide arsenal of tools to document the record of the evolution on a living planet, which, in turn, leads to the question of which evolutionary processes led to geobiological diversity and functioning on the planet today, as well as their roles in generating such diversity deep in Earth’s past.
In this Gordon Research Conference, the scientific sessions are centered around nine unanswered questions within the realm of the processes of Geobiological evolution, each of which are key to understanding the co-evolution of a living planet. Throughout this conference we will explore the key processes that enable life to thrive and survive at the surface of the planet, the roles that theory and evidence play in understanding the record of co-evolution on a living planet, and new approaches from sibling fields to Geobiology allow us to explore these ideas further.
The conference will consist of nine sessions, on the topics listed below. The conference chair is currently developing their preliminary program, which will include the names of the invited speakers and discussion leaders for each of these sessions. Please check back regularly for updates to this information.
- Ecology, Evolution and Existence in Extreme Environments
- Microbial Persistence in the Real World
- The Evolution of Stable Isotope Geobiology From Product to Process
- The Evolution of Photoautotrophy in Space and Time
- Comparing Theories and Evidence for the Co-evolution of Life and Earth
- The Biogeochemical Record of Early Life: Constraints From Rocks to Proteins
- From Eukaryogenesis to Multicellularity: Contrasting Geological, Genetic and Organismal Evidence
- Geobiology of Critical Intervals: The Causes and Consequences of Mass Extinctions
- Experimental Macroevolution: Directly Testing Geobiological Hypotheses
