Systems Of The Biosphere

All land on the planet above and below water; the Earth's core, mantle, and crust.

All the water on the planet in all its forms (steam/vapor, water/liquid, and ice/solid).

Layer of gases that include oxygen, nitrogen, water vapor, and ozone, that surrounds the Earth.

All life on the planet including plants, humans, animals, insects, and microbes.

All planetary matter and the processes that move that matter and energy around the planet.

Positive and negative feedback mechanisms are means by which Earth's systems interact. Positive feedback involves an increase in the first variable leading to an increase in subsequent variables that ultimately leads to a greater increase in the first variable. Negative feedback involves an increase in the first variable, leading to an increase in subsequent variables that ultimately leads to a decrease in the first variable. Positive feedback speeds up the process and leads to instability. Negative feedback reduces changes in the system and helps to stabilize it.

The balance between the biosphere, geosphere, hydrosphere, and atmosphere make life on Earth possible. Each component of the Earth system interacts with the others to exchange matter and make life possible.

Earth's systems are interconnected. They interact with each other, moving matter from one system to the other. Changes to the atmosphere brought about by human activity eventually lead to changes in the biosphere and hydrosphere.

Plants in the biosphere consume carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and emit oxygen back into the atmosphere as a result of photosynthesis. Animals consume oxygen from the atmosphere and emit carbon dioxide back into the atmosphere as a result of cellular respiration.

Atmosphere

Negative feedback

It can be considered a global ecosystem.

Positive feedback mechanisms reduce change in a system.

Biosphere