The biosphere is the Earth's layer that brings together all existing ecosystems. It corresponds to the place where living beings are found.
The term biosphere is derived from the Greek BIOS, life and sfaira, sphere, that is, it is the sphere of life.
THE ecosphere is synonymous with biosphere, both terms refer to the layer of the Earth inhabited by living beings. However, ecosphere is more used to emphasize the interrelationships between living beings and the non-living environment.
Features
The thickness of the biosphere is believed to be no more than 19 km. It is within this limit that favorable environmental conditions for the survival of living beings are found.
Thus, the biosphere ranges from the deepest region of the oceans to the highest altitude where life can exist.
The biosphere is related to the other layers of planet Earth. All layers are related to each other:
- Lithosphere: is the solid layer, formed by soil and rocks;
- Hydrosphere: is the liquid layer, formed by rivers, lakes and oceans;
- Atmosphere: is the gas layer;
- Biosphere: it is the layer inhabited by living beings that integrates the terrestrial, aerial and aquatic environments.
Representation of the layers surrounding planet Earth
Biosphere division
The biosphere is the set of all ecosystems. It can be divided into smaller categories called biocycles. Each biocycle is composed of different biomes.
There are three types of biocycles:
- epinocycle: is the terrestrial portion of the biosphere. Formed by terrestrial biomes such as forests, savannas, fields and deserts, in addition to the living beings that inhabit these environments;
- thalassocycle: is the aquatic marine portion of the biosphere. It is formed by the oceans and living beings that inhabit it.
- Limnocycle: is the portion consisting of fresh water. It is formed by rivers, streams, streams and lakes, as well as by living beings found in these environments.
See also:
- Brazilian Biomes
- Biomes of the World
- terrestrial ecosystems
- aquatic ecosystems
Relationship between man and the biosphere
Human activities are the ones that most affect the balance of the biosphere. As a result, all existing relationships are damaged, giving rise to environmental imbalances.
With the objective of reducing the effects of environmental degradation, the program "Man and the Biosphere" of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) was created.
This program operates at an international level and aims to create protected areas called Biosphere Reserves.
In these areas, scientific research and experimentation of activities aimed at sustainability of natural resources.
Currently, there are 669 Biosphere Reserves worldwide. In Brazil, there are seven: from the Atlantic Forest, from the São Paulo Green Belt, from the Cerrado, from the Pantanal, from the Caatinga, from the Central Amazon and from the Serra do Espinhaço (MG).
learn more about Ecology.
