摘要： 光合作用的起源是一个非常古老的事件,对这个事件的证据,包括基本生物学过程的开启和发展之类的问题,如地球早期光合作用生物的属性以及光合作用生物如何获取光合作用装置等,可能已经消失在时间的长河之中;因此,光合作用起源就成为一个引人入胜的重大科学命题。尽管如此,地质学、生物地球化学、比较生物化学和分子进化分析,为光合作用起源及其复杂的进化历史,提供一些新认识和新线索,主要涉及到以下3个方面:(1)光合作用生命的起源;(2)光合作用装置的起源;(3)光合作用催化剂的起源。追索科学家们对这一重大科学命题的持续研究与艰苦努力,以及所取得的一些重要而且富有智慧的认识,将为今后的深入研究提供一些重要的思考途径和研究线索。同时,追逐光合作用起源的研究进展,对于深入了解早期地球复杂的圈层耦合过程也具有重要意义。这些作用过程主要包括:(1)从不生氧光合作用到生氧光合作用的转变;(2)大气圈与生物圈之间复杂的相互作用和协同进化;(3)生氧光合作用起源与进化所造成的、从一个缺氧的大气圈到今天含氧大气圈的复杂演变过程;(4)大气圈和水圈的渐进氧化作用对地球表面环境以及生命的起源和发育所造成的一个长时间影响;(5)早期地球表层古地理面貌的成型等。更为重要的是,对光合作用起源的地质学尤其是沉积学思考所得出的一些重要认识,尽管不是结论,但是拓宽了沉积学的研究范畴,开阔了沉积学家的研究视眼,同时也成为一个多学科协同作战的范例。

关键词: 光合作用起源, 地球圈层耦合, 早期地球, 研究进展

Abstract: The origin of photosynthesis is such an ancient event that definitive evidence as to how this essential biological process began and developed may be lost forever,such as the nature of the earliest photosynthetic organisms as well as the problem dealing with how photosynthetic organisms obtain their photosynthetic apparatus;thus,studies on the origin of photosynthesis became an important and enchanting scientific theme. Nevertheless,some evidence can be assembled from a variety of sources,including geology,biogeochemistry,comparative biochemistry and molecular evolution analysis,which begin to give some insights into the complex origin and evolutionary history of photosynthesis that chiefly deal with several aspects as follows:(1)the origin of photosynthetic life;(2)the origin of photosynthetic apparatus;and(3)the origin of photosynthetic catalysts. It is very meaningful to pursuit and to summarize some important cognitions enriched-wisdom resulted from both the lasting research and hardworking effort by scientists,which can provide important studying clues and thinking approaches for the further researches of this fascinating scientific. Furthermore,it is also meaningful to trace the advancement on the study of the origin of photosynthesis for the further understanding of the sophisticated coupling process among earth spheres in the early time,which are as follows:(1)the transformation from the anoxygenic to the oxygenic photosynthesis;(2)a complex interaction and its synergetic evolution between the biosphere and the atmosphere;(3)a sophisticated evolutionary process from a anoxic to an oxic atmosphere generated by the origin and evolution of the oxygenic photosynthesis;(4)a major long-term effect on Earth-surface environments and the development of life that is benefited from the progressive oxygenation of the atmosphere and hydrosphere;and(5)the molding of the palaeogeographical version of the early Earth and so on. More importantly,some geological especially for sedimentological thinking on the origin of the photosynthesis and some important cognitions,though are not conclusions,have broaden the studying domain of sedimentology and widen the field of view of sedimentologists. Ultimately,these researches become a scientific paradigm that is applied with multi-subjects.

Key words: origin of photosynthesis, coupling process among earth spheres, the early Earth, researching advancement

中图分类号: 

• P534