Biotic material or biological derived material is any material that originates from living organisms. Most such materials contain carbon and are capable of decay.
The earliest form of life on Earth arose at least 3.5 billion years ago. Earlier physical evidences of life include graphite, a biogenic substance, in 3.7 billion-year-old metasedimentary rocks discovered in southwestern Greenland, as well as, "remains of biotic life" found in 4.1 billion-year-old rocks in Western Australia. Earth's biodiversity has expanded continually except when interrupted by mass extinctions. Although scholars estimate that over 99 percent of all species of life (over five billion) that ever lived on Earth are extinct, there are still an estimated 10–14 million extant species, of which about 1.2 million have been documented and over 86% have not yet been described.
Examples of biotic materials are wood, straw, humus, manure, bark, crude oil, cotton, spider silk, chitin, fibrin, and bone.
The use of biotic materials and processed biotic materials (bio-based material) as alternative natural materials over synthetics is widespread with those who are environmentally conscious because such materials are usually biodegradable, renewable, and the processing is commonly understood and has minimal environmental impact. However, not all biotic materials are used in an environmentally friendly way, such as those that require high levels of processing, are harvested unsustainably, or are used to produce carbon emissions.
When the source of the recently living material has little importance to the product produced, such as in the production of biofuels, biotic material is simply called biomass. Many fuel sources may have biological sources and may be divided roughly into fossil fuels and biofuel.
In soil science, biotic material is often referred to as organic matter. Biotic materials in soil include humic substances such as humic acids, fulvic acids and humin. Some biotic material may not be considered to be organic matter if it is low in organic compounds, such as a clam's shell, which is an essential component of the exoskeleton of bivalve mollusks made of calcium carbonate (CaCO3), but contains little organic carbon.
See also
References
- Schopf, J.W., Kudryavtsev, A.B., Czaja, A.D., and Tripathi, A.B. (2007). "Evidence of some Archean life: Stromatolites and microfossils." Precambrian Research. 158:141–155.
- Schopf, J.W. (2006). "Fossil evidence of Archaean life." Philos. Trans. R. Soc. Lond. B. Biol. Sci. 29;361(1470) 869–885.
- Hamilton Raven, Peter; Brooks Johnson, George (2002). Biology. McGraw-Hill Education. p. 68. ISBN 978-0-07-112261-0. Retrieved 7 July 2013.
- Ohtomo, Yoko; Kakegawa, Takeshi; Ishida, Akizumi; et al. (January 2014). "Evidence for biogenic graphite in early Archaean Isua metasedimentary rocks". Nature Geoscience. 7 (1). London: Nature Publishing Group: 25–28. Bibcode:2014NatGe...7...25O. doi:10.1038/ngeo2025. ISSN 1752-0894.
- Borenstein, Seth (19 October 2015). "Hints of life on what was thought to be desolate early Earth". Excite. Yonkers, NY: Mindspark Interactive Network. Associated Press. Retrieved 2015-10-20.
- Bell, Elizabeth A.; Boehnike, Patrick; Harrison, T. Mark; et al. (19 October 2015). "Potentially biogenic carbon preserved in a 4.1 billion-year-old zircon" (PDF). Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 112 (47). Washington, D.C.: National Academy of Sciences: 14518–21. Bibcode:2015PNAS..11214518B. doi:10.1073/pnas.1517557112. ISSN 1091-6490. PMC 4664351. PMID 26483481. Retrieved 2015-10-20. Early edition, published online before print.
- Sahney, S.; Benton, M.J. & Ferry, P.A. (27 January 2010). "Links between global taxonomic diversity, ecological diversity and the expansion of vertebrates on land". Biology Letters. 6 (4): 544–47. doi:10.1098/rsbl.2009.1024. PMC 2936204. PMID 20106856.
- Kunin, W.E.; Gaston, Kevin, eds. (31 December 1996). The Biology of Rarity: Causes and consequences of rare—common differences. Springer. ISBN 978-0412633805. Retrieved 26 May 2015.
- Stearns, Beverly Peterson; Stearns, S. C.; Stearns, Stephen C. (2000). Watching, from the Edge of Extinction. Yale University Press. p. preface x. ISBN 978-0-300-08469-6. Retrieved 30 May 2017.
- Novacek, Michael J. (8 November 2014). "Prehistory's Brilliant Future". The New York Times. Retrieved 25 December 2014.
- May, Robert M. (1988). "How many species are there on earth?". Science. 241 (4872): 1441–1449. Bibcode:1988Sci...241.1441M. doi:10.1126/science.241.4872.1441. PMID 17790039. S2CID 34992724.
- Miller, G.; Spoolman, Scott (1 January 2012). "Biodiversity and Evolution". Environmental Science. Cengage Learning. p. 62. ISBN 978-1-133-70787-5. Retrieved 27 December 2014.
- Mora, C.; Tittensor, D.P.; Adl, S.; Simpson, A.G.; Worm, B. (23 August 2011). "How many species are there on Earth and in the ocean?". PLOS Biology. 9 (8): e1001127. doi:10.1371/journal.pbio.1001127. PMC 3160336. PMID 21886479.
Biotic material or biological derived material is any material that originates from living organisms Most such materials contain carbon and are capable of decay The earliest form of life on Earth arose at least 3 5 billion years ago Earlier physical evidences of life include graphite a biogenic substance in 3 7 billion year old metasedimentary rocks discovered in southwestern Greenland as well as remains of biotic life found in 4 1 billion year old rocks in Western Australia Earth s biodiversity has expanded continually except when interrupted by mass extinctions Although scholars estimate that over 99 percent of all species of life over five billion that ever lived on Earth are extinct there are still an estimated 10 14 million extant species of which about 1 2 million have been documented and over 86 have not yet been described Examples of biotic materials are wood straw humus manure bark crude oil cotton spider silk chitin fibrin and bone The use of biotic materials and processed biotic materials bio based material as alternative natural materials over synthetics is widespread with those who are environmentally conscious because such materials are usually biodegradable renewable and the processing is commonly understood and has minimal environmental impact However not all biotic materials are used in an environmentally friendly way such as those that require high levels of processing are harvested unsustainably or are used to produce carbon emissions When the source of the recently living material has little importance to the product produced such as in the production of biofuels biotic material is simply called biomass Many fuel sources may have biological sources and may be divided roughly into fossil fuels and biofuel In soil science biotic material is often referred to as organic matter Biotic materials in soil include humic substances such as humic acids fulvic acids and humin Some biotic material may not be considered to be organic matter if it is low in organic compounds such as a clam s shell which is an essential component of the exoskeleton of bivalve mollusks made of calcium carbonate CaCO3 but contains little organic carbon See alsoAbiotic componentReferencesSchopf J W Kudryavtsev A B Czaja A D and Tripathi A B 2007 Evidence of some Archean life Stromatolites and microfossils Precambrian Research 158 141 155 Schopf J W 2006 Fossil evidence of Archaean life Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 29 361 1470 869 885 Hamilton Raven Peter Brooks Johnson George 2002 Biology McGraw Hill Education p 68 ISBN 978 0 07 112261 0 Retrieved 7 July 2013 Ohtomo Yoko Kakegawa Takeshi Ishida Akizumi et al January 2014 Evidence for biogenic graphite in early Archaean Isua metasedimentary rocks Nature Geoscience 7 1 London Nature Publishing Group 25 28 Bibcode 2014NatGe 7 25O doi 10 1038 ngeo2025 ISSN 1752 0894 Borenstein Seth 19 October 2015 Hints of life on what was thought to be desolate early Earth Excite Yonkers NY Mindspark Interactive Network Associated Press Retrieved 2015 10 20 Bell Elizabeth A Boehnike Patrick Harrison T Mark et al 19 October 2015 Potentially biogenic carbon preserved in a 4 1 billion year old zircon PDF Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 112 47 Washington D C National Academy of Sciences 14518 21 Bibcode 2015PNAS 11214518B doi 10 1073 pnas 1517557112 ISSN 1091 6490 PMC 4664351 PMID 26483481 Retrieved 2015 10 20 Early edition published online before print Sahney S Benton M J amp Ferry P A 27 January 2010 Links between global taxonomic diversity ecological diversity and the expansion of vertebrates on land Biology Letters 6 4 544 47 doi 10 1098 rsbl 2009 1024 PMC 2936204 PMID 20106856 Kunin W E Gaston Kevin eds 31 December 1996 The Biology of Rarity Causes and consequences of rare common differences Springer ISBN 978 0412633805 Retrieved 26 May 2015 Stearns Beverly Peterson Stearns S C Stearns Stephen C 2000 Watching from the Edge of Extinction Yale University Press p preface x ISBN 978 0 300 08469 6 Retrieved 30 May 2017 Novacek Michael J 8 November 2014 Prehistory s Brilliant Future The New York Times Retrieved 25 December 2014 May Robert M 1988 How many species are there on earth Science 241 4872 1441 1449 Bibcode 1988Sci 241 1441M doi 10 1126 science 241 4872 1441 PMID 17790039 S2CID 34992724 Miller G Spoolman Scott 1 January 2012 Biodiversity and Evolution Environmental Science Cengage Learning p 62 ISBN 978 1 133 70787 5 Retrieved 27 December 2014 Mora C Tittensor D P Adl S Simpson A G Worm B 23 August 2011 How many species are there on Earth and in the ocean PLOS Biology 9 8 e1001127 doi 10 1371 journal pbio 1001127 PMC 3160336 PMID 21886479
