# Variations in climate habitability parameters and their effect on Earth's biosphere during the Phanerozoic Eon

**Authors:** Iva Vilović, Dirk Schulze-Makuch, René Heller  
**arXiv:** [2308.08470](https://arxiv.org/abs/2308.08470)  
**Date:** 2023-08-16  
**Summary page:** https://www.summarizepaper.com/en/paper/2308.08470v1/

## Key points

- Researchers aimed to gain insights into the characterization and quality of a detectable biosphere
- Environmental parameters such as oxygen levels, global average surface temperatures, runoff rates, and carbon dioxide levels are interrelated and play a crucial role in shaping changes in biomass and biodiversity
- Periods in Earth's history with highly thriving biospheres were characterized by increased oxygen levels, global runoff rates, and moderate global average surface temperatures
- High oxygen contents are diagnostic of biomass production by continental plant life
- Exceptionally high oxygen levels can compensate for decreased relative humidities, creating an even more habitable environment compared to today
- The findings have implications beyond Earth and can help scientists understand how environmental parameters affect biospheres on extrasolar planets
- Factors such as oxygen levels, temperature stability, and runoff rates are important in determining the thriving potential of a biosphere.

## Summary

In this study, the researchers aimed to gain essential insights into the characterization and quality of a detectable biosphere by analyzing the effects of its environmental parameters. They compiled environmental and biological properties of the Phanerozoic Eon from various published data sets and conducted a correlation analysis to assess variations in parameters relevant to the habitability of Earth's biosphere. The findings of their analysis revealed that several environmental parameters, including oxygen levels, global average surface temperatures, runoff rates, and carbon dioxide levels, are interrelated and play a crucial role in shaping changes in biomass and biodiversity. The researchers identified periods in Earth's history with highly thriving biospheres, some even surpassing present-day biodiversity and biomass levels. These periods were characterized by increased oxygen levels and global runoff rates as well as moderate global average surface temperatures. The presence of high oxygen contents was found to be diagnostic of biomass production by continental plant life. Interestingly, the study also showed that exceptionally high oxygen levels can compensate for decreased relative humidities creating an even more habitable environment compared to today. These findings have implications beyond Earth as well. The results can help scientists understand how environmental parameters affect biospheres on extrasolar planets and guide them in their search for extraterrestrial life. In conclusion, this study provides valuable insights into the relationship between environmental parameters and the habitability of Earth's biosphere throughout different periods in history. The findings highlight the importance of factors such as oxygen levels, temperature stability, and runoff rates in determining the thriving potential of a biosphere.