Book Description:
Humankind is under the permanent influence of the geological environment. Roles of some geological biotropic factors, such as volcanic explosions, strong earthquakes, and geochemical anomalies, have been well studied. Little is known about biotropic effects of the Earth’s fluid degassing, geomagnetic activity, natural background radiation, fluid migration and gas emission within fault zones, mild seismicity, cyclicity of tectonic and climatic processes, etc. This book is the first attempt to synthesize the interdisciplinary knowledge on all geogenic factors influencing humans, society, and civilization. The book consists of two parts. The first part represents the state-of-the-art in the field of geo-bio-interactions. The second part of the book introduces particular examples of the influence of the geological environment on the biosphere and anthroposphere. The scientific intrigue of the book resides in the fact that most geogenic biotropic factors are functions or manifestations of two “meta-agents” – the deep degassing of the Earth and the geomagnetic field – which are generated by processes in the liquid outer core.

Table of Contents:
Preface
Acknowledgments
List of contributors

Part I. Geo & Bio: Key relationships

Chapter 1. Fluid evolution of the Earth and origin of the biosphere
(Marakushev, A.A. and Marakushev, S.A.), pp. 3-32

Chapter 2. Role of isotopes in the biosphere
(Sobotovich, E.V., Florinsky, I.V., Lysenko, O.B. and Grodzinsky, D.M), pp. 33-68

Chapter 3. Geochemical anomalies: Sickness and health
(Volfson, I.F., Paul, W. and Pechenkin, I.G.), pp. 69-114

Chapter 4. Geopsychology: Geophysical matrix and human behavior
(Mulligan, B.P., Suess Cloes, L., Mach, Q.H. and Persinger, M.A.), pp. 115-142

Part II. Crossing a range of spatial scales

Chapter 5. Intraspecific variability of plants: The impact of active local faults
(Boyarskikh, I.G. and Shitov, A.V.), pp. 145-168

Chapter 6. Pathogenic effect of fault zones in the urban environment
(Rudnik, V.A. and Melnikov, E.K.), pp. 169-184

Chapter 7. Health of people living in a seismically active region
(Shitov, A.V.), pp. 185-214

Chapter 8. Sacred places and geophysical activity
(Florinsky, I.V.), pp. 215-256

Chapter 9. Tectonic and climatic rhythms and the development of society
(Trifonov, V.G.), pp. 257-306

Chapter 10. Hydrogen degassing of the Earth: Natural disasters and the biosphere
(Syvorotkin, V.L.), pp. 307-348

Index pp.351-385