User:CaribKreates/sandbox

= THE EARTH'S BIOSPHERE = https://vm.tiktok.com/ZMjqnyK8h/

The Christian Creation Story
https://youtu.be/4dzjD5FxJPg?feature=shared

1 In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. 2 Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters.

3 And God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light. 4 God saw that the light was good, and he separated the light from the darkness. 5 God called the light “day,” and the darkness he called “night.” And there was evening, and there was morning—the first day.

6 And God said, “Let there be a vault between the waters to separate water from water.” 7 So God made the vault and separated the water under the vault from the water above it. And it was so. 8 God called the vault “sky.” And there was evening, and there was morning—the second day.

9 And God said, “Let the water under the sky be gathered to one place, and let dry ground appear.” And it was so. 10 God called the dry ground “land,” and the gathered waters he called “seas.” And God saw that it was good.

11 Then God said, “Let the land produce vegetation: seed-bearing plants and trees on the land that bear fruit with seed in it, according to their various kinds.” And it was so. 12 The land produced vegetation: plants bearing seed according to their kinds and trees bearing fruit with seed in it according to their kinds. And God saw that it was good. 13 And there was evening, and there was morning—the third day.

14 And God said, “Let there be lights in the vault of the sky to separate the day from the night, and let them serve as signs to mark sacred times, and days and years, 15 and let them be lights in the vault of the sky to give light on the earth.” And it was so. 16 God made two great lights—the greater light to govern the day and the lesser light to govern the night. He also made the stars. 17 God set them in the vault of the sky to give light on the earth, 18 to govern the day and the night, and to separate light from darkness. And God saw that it was good. 19 And there was evening, and there was morning—the fourth day.

20 And God said, “Let the water teem with living creatures, and let birds fly above the earth across the vault of the sky.” 21 So God created the great creatures of the sea and every living thing with which the water teems and that moves about in it, according to their kinds, and every winged bird according to its kind. And God saw that it was good. 22 God blessed them and said, “Be fruitful and increase in number and fill the water in the seas, and let the birds increase on the earth.” 23 And there was evening, and there was morning—the fifth day.

24 And God said, “Let the land produce living creatures according to their kinds: the livestock, the creatures that move along the ground, and the wild animals, each according to its kind.” And it was so. 25 God made the wild animals according to their kinds, the livestock according to their kinds, and all the creatures that move along the ground according to their kinds. And God saw that it was good.

26 Then God said, “Let us make mankind in our image, in our likeness, so that they may rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky, over the livestock and all the wild animals,[a] and over all the creatures that move along the ground.”

27 So God created mankind in his own image,

in the image of God he created them;

male and female he created them.

28 God blessed them and said to them, “Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky and over every living creature that moves on the ground.”

29 Then God said, “I give you every seed-bearing plant on the face of the whole earth and every tree that has fruit with seed in it. They will be yours for food. 30 And to all the beasts of the earth and all the birds in the sky and all the creatures that move along the ground—everything that has the breath of life in it—I give every green plant for food.” And it was so.

31 God saw all that he had made, and it was very good. And there was evening, and there was morning—the sixth day.

WHAT IS THE BIOSPHERE?
https://youtu.be/0xchPUSBSG0?feature=shared

The biosphere is made up of parts of the earth where life exists.

Bio- Life

Sphere - synonyms (domain, area, realm..among others)

THE IMPORTANCE OF THE BIOSPHERE
According to Earth Eclipse, 2018, the biosphere is essential for maintaining both the lives of creatures and their interactions with one another. These are five notable importance of the biosphere.


 * 1) Promotes life on earth

For creatures to live on Earth, several environmental variables such as appropriate temperature and moisture must exist. The creatures also require energy and nutrition. The biosphere contains all of the mineral and animal resources required to sustain life. Nutrients found in the waste products of dead organisms or living cells are transformed into molecules that other life forms can use as food.

2. Produces organic matter

The biosphere generates oxygen and nitrogen through oxygen photosynthesis. These chemicals are involved in almost every metabolic activity that produces organic matter. The carbon cycle, which includes both terrestrial and organic substrates, produces organic matter.

3. Supplies food and raw material

The biota, or biological components of the biosphere, are essential for giving us the raw materials we require for survival, such as food, fuel, and fiber.

4. Cleans the Earth of poisonous materials

The planet earth is able to rid itself of poisons and other substances that can be hazardous to life because of the biological modification and decomposition cycles that naturally occur in the biosphere. For instance, the photosynthesis process uses carbon dioxide, and biota recycle organic waste.

5. Provides pharmaceutical compounds

Today, all pharmacological chemicals are synthesized from molecules found naturally in the terrestrial biosphere.

Scientists have discovered new elements in the Amazon of South America and Southeast Asia, which have been used in pharmacological applications ranging from chemotherapy to aesthetic treatments.

ELEMENTS OF THE BIOSPHERE
The biosphere consists of all life on the planet. The fact that life is present is the defining factor that separates earth from all the other planets in the solar system. The biosphere consists of the upper outer region of the earth called the lithosphere and the lower region of the atmosphere called the stratosphere. It also includes the hydrosphere which encompasses all the rivers, lakes, ponds, and oceans surrounding us. While the hydrosphere is a sphere in and of itself the biosphere is intertwined with it due to the presence of life within these water bodies. When one makes reference to the biosphere it is more than likely that they are referring to all living organisms, but this sphere is much more complex. The Biosphere is made up of both living (biotic) and non-living (abiotic) organisms. The wide range and frequency of living organisms present in ecosystems is called biodiversity and the biosphere is basically the driving force that causes these ecosystems to thrive and ensures diversity. While the biosphere encompasses all living organisms, biodiversity differs by way of signifying the variety of those living organisms across species genes and ecosystems.

The Composition of the biosphere.

The biosphere is made up of comparatively large regions called Biomes. A biome can comprise several ecosystems and is characterized by a particular climate and unique living organisms, particularly plants. The average yearly temperature and precipitation are the main determinants of climate. These elements in turn rely on the topography of the area, including its latitude, height, and mountainous boundaries. The five main categories of biomes are grassland, tundra, desert, aquatic, and woodland. There are no clear borders between biomes. Rather, there is a zone of transition known as an ecotone that is home to a wide range of flora and fauna. An ecotone, for instance, could consist of species found in both desert and grassland habitats.

The Biosphere is made up of all living organisms which are then subdivided into biomes, ecosystems, then finally food webs and food chains.

HOW DOES THE BIOSPHERE CONNECT WITH OTHER SPHERES?
The biosphere, hydrosphere, atmosphere, and geosphere are all interconnected to make up the earth. Each sphere depends on each other for the existence of life.

 Biosphere and Hydrosphere: 

The hydrosphere provides all living things in the biosphere such as plants, animals, and humans with water. The hydrosphere provides some animals with homes for example fishes, and plants with water, which is necessary for growth and, in turn, provides food for both humans and animals. Humans use water for different functions, for example, domesticated purposes. The evaporation of water vapor on leaves forms clouds which produce rain to fill water storage areas. Humans use the water to produce hydroelectricity for factories, farms, etc.

 Biosphere and Atmosphere: 

The biosphere receives gasses, heat, and energy from the atmosphere which is all necessary for all living things. Humans receive oxygen while plants get carbon dioxide. The plants also get sunlight from the atmosphere which is necessary for photosynthesis. The ozone layer also protects humans from the harmful ultraviolet rays of the sun. The atmosphere helps to trap heat from the sun to provide warmth. If the atmosphere is polluted this might affect the growth of plants and the health of humans.

 Biosphere and Geosphere: 

The decay of plants and animals provides the soil with different types of nutrients. This helps to enrich the soil for plant growth. When volcanic activity occurs this also provides the soil with rich minerals essential for plants to grow. The geosphere provides a safe place for humans to build houses industries and animals to live, for example, worms that live in the soil or animals that live in burrows. Humans mine the earth’s crust for minerals, oils, etc. Plants use their roots to keep the soil together to reduce erosion and weathering of the earth’s surface. The geosphere also provides the biosphere with food. Plants grow from the earth produce different types of fruits, herbs, vegetables etc.

https://youtu.be/6j5iHvYBIcg?feature=shared

HOW HAS THE BIOSPHERE CHANGED OVER TIME?
In reference to the creation story above, the earth was void and without form. How then has it evolved to millions of species living in their respective habitats/biomes and ecosystems.

The biosphere is the zone of life. Whether that be deep within the ocean, on a mountain top, in a grain of soil or in the flying space of the bird, it encompasses all that is required to sustain life. As scientific evidence has shown that the earth has evolved over billions of years. Three geological changes on the earth have also played a role in this evolution.

 GEOLOGICAL CHANGES AND THE BIOSPHERE 

Ø  The theory of plate tectonics and continental drift can be used to explain this. Plate tectonics occurs when the plates (rocks) of the earth slide pass, move away or collide with each other. This then creates the landform s associated with each action. A repetition of this over time would then contribute to landforms on the surface and new ocean floor on the ocean floor'''. This geological process would then create a new habitat for organisms to grow and thrive or on the hand contribute to the decimation or evolvement of other organisms.'''

Ø  Continental drift theories that the earth had one big landmass and over time it was broken up and drifted apart over the surface of the earth by the driving force of plate tectonics. '''In relation to the biosphere this contributes to the spread of organisms (plants and animals) over different climatic zones creating new terrestrial and marine environments. This could then lead to their extinction or evolution.'''  As shown in the image below, species that were present before continental drift are now no longer present and one plausible reason could be their adaptation to new climatic conditions.

Ø  Another geological contribution to the changing biosphere is evolution over geological time.

Scientists theorize that there have been many stages of mass extinction. From the fossilized evidence left behind in rocks and in the glaciers, it is evident that other species existed before present-day species. All the changes took place by the interaction of the biosphere and other spheres, namely the hydrosphere and the atmosphere. Any abrupt change in the physical and chemical components of the habitat will cause mass extinction. The table below shows the sequence of organisms from the ocean to land to present-day organisms.

Man’s role in the changes of the Biosphere
The current biomes of the earth have created habitats for us, present day species of homo sapiens. How has our interaction with our environment caused it to change?

Climate Change- One of the most topical environmental themes of the 21st century is Climate Change. Climate change in short refers to changes in weather patterns over a period. The consensus is that human activity is the cause of this phenomenon.

1. Cultural/Technological Advances.

-Humans evolved from a nomadic hunter-gather lifestyle to a Sedentary society

-Sedentary societies then evolved into established societies

With each stage of man’s evolution, the impact on the biosphere would be:

Disruption of natural vegetation for cultivation and human settlement

Depletion of natural resources for various uses

The cultural and technological advances allow for Climate Change to take place:

The burning of fossil fuels from the Industrial Revolution to the present day increases carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. Since all of earth’s spheres are connected the result of this increases the temperatures in the atmosphere which causes:

Ø  '''glaciers melt and sea levels rise. Loss of coast/coastline to man. Loss of habitat for artic species'''

Ø  '''Ocean acidification which disrupts the pH. balance of the ocean which in turn disrupts marine life.'''

Ø  '''Habitats are disrupted if climate changes force species to migrate to other suitable areas. In an interconnected ecosystem, the migration of species disrupts the food chain.'''

The Biosphere is a complex system working with the other systems of the earth as it continues its process of evolution naturally. Human use and interactions with their environment are disrupting that natural process and have caused serious changes that can only be rectified with sustainable actions.

FUN FACTS ABOUT THE BIOSPHERE

 * 1) Origin of the Biosphere   According to Natural Geography, “the biosphere has existed for about 3.5 billion years. The biosphere’s earliest life-forms, called prokaryotes, survived without oxygen. Ancient prokaryotes included single-celled organisms such as bacteria and archaea”. These single cell organisms through the process of photosynthesis make simple sugar and oxygen from sunlight. This creates the atmosphere with different gases which sustain all new forms of life.
 * 2) Biosphere reserves

Did you know? People play an important part in maintaining the flow of energy in the biosphere; however, sometimes people disrupt the flow through air, land, and water pollution. Industrial waste and the burning of fossil fuels decrease the oxygen level and increase the carbon dioxide level giving us warmer climate.

3. How the biosphere gets its name

The term biosphere was created in the year 1875 by Eduard Suess who is a geologist. Every place on earth such as the ice caps can sustain the life of some sort of even microbes. The entire earth is included in the biosphere which includes the depth in the oceans as microbes can exist miles below water.

4. Different biospheres

There are artificial biospheres such as Biosphere 2 and Biosphere 3; nevertheless, biosphere 1 is the natural biosphere.

5. Pinpoint the biosphere

It is difficult to pinpoint or locate the boundary of the biosphere because some birds fly to 11,300 meters. These birds are called Ruppell Vultures.