Astroecology, cosmo-ecology, and the future of life

Abstract

Astroecology concerns the relations between life and space resources, and cosmo-ecology extrapolates these relations to cosmological scales. Experimental astroecology can quantify the amounts of life that can be derived from space resources. For this purpose, soluble carbon and electrolyte nutrients were measured in asteroid/meteorite materials. Microorganisms and plant cultures were observed to grow on these materials, whose fertilities are similar to productive agricultural soils. Based on measured nutrient contents, the 10 22 kg carbonaceous asteroids can yield 10 18 kg biomass with N and P as limiting nutrients (compared with the estimated 10 15 kg biomass on Earth). These data quantify the amounts of life that can be derived from asteroids in terms of time-integrated biomass [BIOTA int = biomass (kg) × lifetime (years)], as 10 27 kg-years during the next billion years of the Solar System (a thousand times the 10 24 kg-years to date). The 10 26 kg cometary materials can yield biota 10 000 times still larger. In the galaxy, potential future life can be estimated based on stellar luminosities. For example, the Sun will develop into a white dwarf star whose 10 15 W luminosity can sustain a BIOTA int of 10 34 kg-years over 10 20 years. The 10 12 main sequence and white and red dwarf stars can sustain 10 46 kg-years of BIOTA int in the galaxy and 10 57 kg-years in the universe. Life has great potentials in space, but the probability of present extraterrestrial life may be incomputable because of biological and ecological complexities. However, we can establish and expand life in space with present technology, by seeding new young solar systems. Microbial representatives of our life-form can be launched by solar sails to new planetary systems, including extremophiles suited to diverse new environments, autotrophs and heterotrophs to continually form and recycle biomolecules, and simple multicellulars to jump-start higher evolution. These programs can be motivated by life-centered biotic ethics that seek to secure and propagate life. In space, life can develop immense populations and diverse new branches. Some may develop into intelligent species that can expand life further in the galaxy, giving our human endeavors a cosmic purpose.

Astroecology: bridging the gap between ecology and astrobiology

“…Jones (2001) Astroecology Concerns the relations between life and space resources. Mautner (2002aMautner ( , 2014) Astroecology A new scientific branch mingling ecology and astrobiology. Mendonça (2014) Astroecology An approach to showcase a recent example of an interdisciplinary collaboration.…”

“…The definitions of exoecology by Jones (2001) and astroecology by Mautner (2002bMautner ( , 2014 do not need to be discarded but can be encompassed within the scope of the definition proposed here. The first one restricts the study to outer space and does not take terrestrial life into account, while the second one includes terrestrial life but primarily focuses on space resources.…”

Letter from the Editors

“…In her discussion on RNA world evolution, Szweykowska-Kulińska [28] convinces us that we live, in fact, in a New RNA World, which is visible in archaeplastid cells. In the last paper, which is focused on the future of life on our planet, Mautner [29] regards it as a unique phenomenon and proposes exporting life into space via directed panspermia. If we actually decide to do so in the future, good candidates for such expeditions would be the red algae Cyanidiales, which are well known for dwelling in extreme environments [30].…”