Biosphere Concept

Biosphere Concept

The term "biosphere" was coined in the nineteenth century by Austrian geologist Eduard Suess in reference to the 20-kilometer-thick zone extending from the floor of the oceans to the top of mountains, within which all life on earth exists.

Thought to be more than 3.5 billion years old, the biosphere supports nearly one dozen biomes, regions of climatic conditions within which distinct biotic communities reside.

Compounds of hydrogen, oxygen, carbon, nitrogen, potassium, and sulfur are cycled among the four major spheres, one of which is the biosphere, to make the materials that are essential to the existence of life.


The other spheres are the lithosphere, the outer part of the earth; the atmosphere, the whole mass of air surrounding the earth; and the hydrosphere, the aqueous vapor of the atmosphere, sometimes defined as including the earth’s bodies of water.

The Water Cycle

The most critical of these compounds is water, and its movement among the spheres is called the hydrologic cycle. Dissolved water in the atmosphere condenses to form clouds, rain, and snow. The annual precipitation for any region is one of the major factors in determining the terrestrial biome that can exist.

The precipitation takes various paths leading to the formation of lakes and rivers. These flowing waters interact with the lithosphere (the outer part of the earth’s crust) to dissolve chemicals as they flow to the oceans. Evaporation of water from the oceans then supplies most of the moisture in the atmosphere. This cycle continually moves water among the various terrestrial and oceanic biomes.

The Water Cycle

Solar Energy

The biosphere is also dependent upon the energy that is transferred from the various spheres. Solar energy is the basis for almost all life. Light enters the biosphere as the essential energy source for photosynthesis.

Plants take in carbon dioxide, water, and light energy, which is converted via photosynthesis into chemical energy in the form of sugars and other organic molecules.

Oxygen is generated as a by-product.Most animal life reverses this process during respiration, as chemical energy is released to do work by the oxidation of organic molecules to produce carbon dioxide and water.

Incoming solar energy also interacts dramatically with the water cycle and the world wide distribution of biomes. Because of the earth’s curvature, the equatorial regions receive a greater amount of solar heat than the polar regions.

Convective movements in the atmosphere—such as winds, high- and low-pressure systems, and weather fronts—and the hydrosphere—such as water currents—are generated during the redistribution of this heat. The weather patterns and climates of earth are a response to these energy shifts. Earth’s various climates are defined by the mean annual temperature and the mean annual precipitation.