生物圈是地球系统中唯一具有生命活动的圈层，生物圈及其与各圈层之间的相互作用对地球环境变化起着巨大的推动作用。因此，有关生命过程与地球环境相互关系的知识对于人类理解地球系统以及利用地圈、水圈和大气圈资源至关重要。地球环境与生命过程研究的内涵就是研究地球环境与生命过程相互作用中的各种化学、物理、生物过程，以及其在地圈、水圈、大气圈、生物圈各子系统之间发生的相互作用，增进对地球系统的理解和认识，区分人类活动与自然过程在全球变化中的作用，评估气候与环境变化对生命过程的影响及其反馈作用，揭示生命过程对于地球环境的适应性及其调控机理，为科学地管理地球，确保地球系统的可持续发展提供依据。其核心目标就是通过理解生命过程与地球环境相互作用的过程，评估人类对自然平衡和自然循环造成的影响，进而实施地球管理，确保地球生命支持系统的可持续发展。基于当前地球系统科学研究前沿，提出了未来关于地球环境与生命过程研究需要重视的方面，尤其是关于生态系统对全球变化响应的阈值研究应引起高度重视。

Biosphere is the only sphere with life activities in the earth system. The biosphere and its interactions with other spheres play a significant role on the change of the Earth environment. There fore the knowledge of the interactions between life processes and Earth environment is very helpful to understanding Earth system and utilizing the resources of geosphere, biosphere and hydrosphere. The contents of the study on Earth environment and life processes include (1) chemical, physical and biological processes under the interactions between Earth environment and life processes, and the interactions among geosphere, hydrosphere, atmosphere and biosphere; (2)distinguishing the contributions of the human activities and natural processes to global change; (3)evaluating the possible impacts of climatic and environmental changes on life processes and its feedbacks; (4)discovering the adaptation of life processes to Earth environment and its adjustment mechanism. The objectives of the study of Earth environment and life processes are to evaluate the effects of human activities on natural balance and natural cycling and to make the countermeasures for managing the Earth scientifically by understanding the interactions of life processes and Earth environment, in order to ensure the sustainable development of the Earth. Based on the hot issues of Earth system science, some important tasks related to Earth environment and life processes are suggested. For example, the threshold assessment of adaptation practices should draw more and more attention in the future.