Planet Earth is amazing and unique. It consists of several shells: atmosphere, hydrosphere, biosphere, lithosphere, pyrosphere and centrosphere. Unlike other planets, the Earth is inhabited by plants, animals, people, microorganisms, etc. All living organisms form the biosphere. This shell includes part of the atmosphere and lithosphere, as well as the entire hydrosphere. In this article we will consider what the biosphere is, what its components and functions are.

Definition of the concept

Despite the fact that today almost everyone knows what the biosphere is, the definition of this concept was introduced into scientific circulation only in 1875 by the Austrian geologist Eduard Suess (work “The Face of the Earth”). However, for the next half century this term was used only in narrow circles.

In 1926, the famous Russian scientist V.I. Vernadsky published the book “Biosphere”. In this work, he substantiated the role of living organisms in geological processes. It was V.I. Vernadsky who first determined what the biosphere is and how it differs from other shells of the Earth. He showed it to be a dynamic, active system inhabited and controlled by living beings.

Today in science there is only one generally accepted definition of the concept “biosphere”. This is the shell of planet Earth, which is inhabited by living organisms. The biosphere occupies a special place in relation to other geospheres. This is due to the fact that only within the boundaries of this shell is the geological activity of all living beings manifested.

Boundaries of the biosphere

The biosphere covers the upper region (about 7.5 km) of the lithosphere, the lower boundary of the atmosphere (15-20 km) and the entire hydrosphere.

The lithosphere is the hard shell of our planet. It covers the entire earth's crust and part of the upper mantle. Most living organisms are found in the soil at a depth of up to 1 m. However, some bacteria can penetrate deep into the lithosphere (up to 4 km).

Hydrosphere is the watery shell of planet Earth. It represents the totality of all oceans, seas, rivers, lakes and other bodies of water. This shell is completely developed and populated by living organisms. Most of them live at depths of up to 200 m. However, some species live even at the bottom of the World Ocean (about 12 km).

The atmosphere is the gaseous shell of our planet. It consists of nitrogen, oxygen, ozone and carbon dioxide. The biosphere includes only the lowest layers of the atmosphere. This is due to the fact that certain species of insects and birds can rise to a height of up to 5 km above the earth's surface.

Components of the biosphere

The biosphere consists of 4 components (classification proposed by V.I. Vernadsky):

• Living matter. Its amount is approximately 0.25% of the mass of the biosphere. This substance represents the totality of all living organisms on the planet. They are grouped into 4 kingdoms: bacteria, plants, fungi and animals. Living matter is characterized by significant energy, it is characterized by mobility and continuous alternation of generations, due to which all its components are constantly renewed.
• Biogenic substance. This is everything that is formed during the life of organisms and consists of animal and plant residues (limestones, oil, atmospheric gases, peat, etc.). All biogenic components serve as a powerful source of energy.
• Inert substance. These are elements in the formation of which living beings and microorganisms do not take part (rocks, lava, etc.).
• Bioinert substance. These are components of the biosphere that are created through the joint activity of living organisms and abiogenic processes (soil, clay, sedimentary rocks, weathering crust, water, etc.).

Features and functions of the biosphere

The biosphere, like other important natural systems, has a number of functions. Let's look at the most important of them.

• Integrity. The biosphere is a centralized system, the main element of which is living matter. All its components are closely interconnected and constantly interact. As a result, a change in one element leads to a restructuring of the entire system.
• Self-regulation. The biosphere is characterized by a process called homeostasis. It allows the system to independently maintain and regulate its state.
• Sustainability. The ability of the biosphere to maintain its properties and characteristics under the influence of external factors. This function allows the system to maintain its current state and return to its original state after shocks.

One of the main features and characteristics of the biosphere is diversity. Due to the existence of various biological species in the system, there is always an atmosphere of competition, which provides protection from outside influences.

Functions of living matter

Today science knows for sure what the biosphere is. In biology, its main component - living matter - is the most important category. Let us consider the functions of this system-forming element of the biosphere.

• Gas. This function is closely related to the process of metabolism and respiration. During these gas reactions, oxygen, carbon dioxide, etc. are absorbed and released. Thanks to this function, the modern composition of air was formed.
• Energy. This function is based on the process of photosynthesis - the absorption of solar energy by living matter and its transmission.
• Redox. This function is to change the chemical properties of substances that contain atoms with different levels of oxidation. Such reactions are the basis of biological metabolism.
• Destruction function. This is the process of decomposition of organisms into mineral substances after they die.
• Concentration. This is the process of accumulation and movement of atoms.

The meaning of living matter

• Accumulation of solar energy and its transformation (into chemical, mechanical, thermal, electrical, etc.).
• The formation of most minerals and rocks is the result of the vital activity of living organisms.
• Accumulation of chemical elements. Living organisms accumulate important components (iron, magnesium, copper, sodium) in the tissues of their bodies and in the environment.
• The cycle of most chemical elements occurs through the biosphere.
• Huge influence on the composition of the soil, atmosphere, and hydrosphere.
• Some chemical components and compounds can only exist in living organisms.

The biosphere is understood as the totality of all living organisms on the planet. They inhabit every corner of the Earth: from the depths of the oceans, the bowels of the planet to the airspace, which is why many scientists call this shell the sphere of life. The human race itself lives in it.

Composition of the biosphere

The biosphere is considered the most global ecosystem on our planet. It consists of several spheres. It includes, that is, all water resources and reservoirs of the Earth. These are the World Ocean, underground and surface waters. Water is both the living space of many living beings and a necessary substance for life. It ensures the flow of many processes.

The biosphere contains an atmosphere. There are various organisms in it, and it itself is saturated with various gases. Of particular value is oxygen, which is necessary for life for all organisms. The atmosphere also plays a vital role in nature, influencing weather and climate.

The lithosphere, namely the upper layer of the earth's crust, is part of the biosphere. It is inhabited by living organisms. Thus, insects, rodents and other animals live in the depths of the Earth, plants grow, and people live on the surface.

The world and are the most important inhabitants of the biosphere. They occupy a huge space not only on the ground, but also shallowly in the subsoil, inhabit bodies of water and are found in the atmosphere. Plant forms vary: from mosses, lichens and herbs to shrubs and trees. As for animals, the smallest representatives are single-celled microbes and bacteria, and the largest are terrestrial and sea creatures (elephants, bears, rhinoceroses, whales). They all have a wide variety, and each species is important to our planet.

The importance of the biosphere

The biosphere has been studied by various scientists in all historical eras. V.I. paid a lot of attention to this shell. Vernadsky. He believed that the biosphere is defined by the boundaries within which living matter lives. It is worth noting that all its components are interconnected, and changes in one area will lead to changes in all shells. The biosphere plays a vital role in the distribution of energy flows on the planet.

Thus, the biosphere is the living space of people, animals and plants. It contains essential substances and natural resources such as water, oxygen, earth and others. People have a significant influence on her. In the biosphere there is a cycle of elements in nature, life is in full swing and the most important processes are carried out.

Human influence on the biosphere

Human influence on the biosphere is ambiguous. With each century, anthropogenic activities become more intense, destructive and large-scale, so people contribute to the emergence of not only local environmental problems, but also global ones.

One of the results of human influence on the biosphere is a reduction in the number of flora and fauna on the planet, as well as the disappearance of many species from the face of the earth. For example, plant ranges are shrinking due to agricultural activities and deforestation. Many trees, shrubs, and grasses are secondary, that is, new species were planted instead of the primary vegetation cover. In turn, animal populations are destroyed by hunters not only for food, but also for the purpose of selling valuable skins, bones, shark fins, elephant tusks, rhino horns, and various body parts on the black market.

Anthropogenic activity quite strongly influences the process of soil formation. Thus, plowing fields leads to wind and water erosion. A change in the composition of the vegetation cover leads to the fact that other species participate in the process of soil formation, and, therefore, a different type of soil is formed. Due to the use of various fertilizers in agriculture and the discharge of solid and liquid waste into the ground, the physical and chemical composition of the soil changes.

Demographic processes have a negative impact on the biosphere:

• The planet's population is growing, consuming more and more natural resources;
• the scale of industrial production is increasing;
• there is more waste;
• The area of ​​agricultural land is increasing.

It is worth noting that people contribute to the pollution of all layers of the biosphere. There are a huge variety of sources of pollution today:

• vehicle exhaust gases;
• particles released during fuel combustion;
• radioactive substances;
• petroleum products;
• releases of chemical compounds into the air;
• municipal solid waste;
• pesticides, mineral fertilizers and agrochemicals;
• dirty wastewater from both industrial and municipal enterprises;
• electromagnetic devices;
• nuclear fuel;
• viruses, bacteria and foreign microorganisms.

All this leads not only to changes in ecosystems and a reduction in biodiversity on earth, but also to climate change. Due to the influence of the human race on the biosphere, melting of glaciers and changes in the level of oceans and seas, acid precipitation, etc. occur.

Over time, the biosphere becomes more and more unstable, which leads to the destruction of many ecosystems on the planet. Many scientists and public figures advocate reducing the impact of the human community on nature, in order to preserve the Earth's biosphere from destruction.

Material composition of the biosphere

The composition of the biosphere can be viewed from various points of view. If we talk about the material composition, then it includes seven different parts:

• Living matter is the totality of living beings that inhabit our planet. They have an elementary composition, and in comparison with other shells they have a small mass, they feed on solar energy, distributing it in their environment. All organisms constitute a powerful geochemical force, distributed unevenly across the earth's surface.
• Biogenic substance. These are those mineral-organic and purely organic components that were created by living beings, namely fossil fuels.
• Inert substance. These are inorganic resources that are formed without the participation of living beings, on their own, that is, quartz sand, various clays, as well as water resources.
• Bioinert substance obtained through the interaction of living and inert components. These are soil and rocks of sedimentary origin, the atmosphere, rivers, lakes and other surface waters.
• Radioactive substances such as the elements uranium, radium, thorium.
• Scattered atoms. They are formed from substances of terrestrial origin when they are influenced by cosmic radiation.
• Cosmic matter. Bodies and substances formed in outer space fall onto the earth. These can be either meteorites or fragments of cosmic dust.

Layers of the biosphere

It is worth noting that all the shells of the biosphere are in constant interaction, so sometimes it is difficult to distinguish the boundaries of a particular layer. One of the most important shells is the aerosphere. It reaches a level of approximately 22 km above the ground, where there are still living beings. In general, this is the air space where all living organisms live. This shell contains moisture, solar energy and atmospheric gases:

• oxygen;
• ozone;
• argon;
• nitrogen;
• water vapor

The number of atmospheric gases and their composition depends on the influence of living beings.

The geosphere is an integral part of the biosphere; it includes the totality of living beings that inhabit the earth's surface. This sphere includes the lithosphere, the world of flora and fauna, groundwater and the gas envelope of the earth.

A significant layer of the biosphere is the hydrosphere, that is, all bodies of water without groundwater. This shell includes the World Ocean, surface waters, atmospheric moisture and glaciers. The entire aquatic sphere is inhabited by living beings - from microorganisms to algae, fish and animals.

If we talk in more detail about the solid shell of the Earth, it consists of soil, rocks and minerals. Depending on the location environment, there are different types of soil, which differ in chemical and organic composition and depend on environmental factors (vegetation, water bodies, wildlife, anthropogenic influence). The lithosphere consists of a huge number of minerals and rocks, which are present in unequal quantities on earth. At the moment, more than 6 thousand minerals have been discovered, but only 100-150 species are most common on the planet:

• quartz;
• feldspar;
• olivine;
• apatites;
• gypsum;
• carnallite;
• calcite;
• phosphorites;
• sylvinite, etc.

Depending on the amount of rocks and their economic use, some of them are valuable, especially fossil fuels, metal ores and precious stones.

As for the world of flora and fauna, this is a shell that includes, according to various sources, from 7 to 10 million species. Presumably, about 2.2 million species live in the waters of the World Ocean, and about 6.5 million live on land. There are approximately 7.8 million representatives of the animal world on the planet, and about 1 million plants. Of all known species of living beings, no more than 15% have been described, so it will take humanity hundreds of years to explore and describe all existing species on the planet.

Connection of the biosphere with other shells of the Earth

All components of the biosphere are in close relationship with other shells of the Earth. This manifestation can be seen in the biological cycle, when animals and people release carbon dioxide, it is absorbed by plants, which release oxygen during photosynthesis. Thus, these two gases are constantly regulated in the atmosphere due to the interrelationships of various spheres.

One example is soil - the result of the interaction of the biosphere with other shells. Living beings (insects, rodents, reptiles, microorganisms), plants, water (groundwater, precipitation, reservoirs), air mass (wind), soil-forming rocks, solar energy, climate take part in this process. All these components slowly interact with each other, which contributes to the formation of soil at an average rate of 2 millimeters per year.

When components of the biosphere interact with living shells, rocks are formed. As a result of the influence of living beings on the lithosphere, deposits of coal, chalk, peat and limestone are formed. During the mutual influence of living beings, the hydrosphere, salts and minerals, and a certain temperature, corals are formed, and from them, in turn, coral reefs and islands appear. This also makes it possible to regulate the salt composition of the waters of the World Ocean.

Various types of relief are a direct result of the connection of the biosphere with other layers of the earth: the atmosphere, hydrosphere and lithosphere. This or that form of relief is influenced by the water regime of the area and precipitation, the nature of air masses, solar radiation, air temperature, what types of flora grow here, what animals inhabit this territory.

The importance of the biosphere in nature

The importance of the biosphere as a global ecosystem of the planet cannot be overestimated. Based on the functions of the shell of all living things, one can understand its significance:

• Energy. Plants are intermediaries between the Sun and the Earth, and, receiving energy, part of it is distributed between all elements of the biosphere, and part is used to form nutrients.
• Gas. Regulates the amount of different gases in the biosphere, their distribution, transformation and migration.
• Concentration. All creatures selectively extract biogenic components, so they can be both beneficial and dangerous.
• Destructive. This is the destruction of minerals and rocks, organic substances, which contributes to a new turnover of elements in nature, during which new living and nonliving substances appear.
• Environment-forming. It affects environmental conditions, the composition of atmospheric gases, rocks of sedimentary origin and the soil layer, the quality of the aquatic environment, as well as the balance of substances on the planet.

For a long time, the role of the biosphere was underestimated, since in comparison with other spheres the mass of living matter on the planet is very small. Despite this, living beings are a powerful force of nature, without which many processes, as well as life itself, would be impossible. In the process of the activity of living beings, their interactions with each other, and their influence on inanimate matter, the natural world itself and the appearance of the planet are formed.

The role of Vernadsky in the study of the biosphere

The theory of the biosphere was first developed by Vladimir Ivanovich Vernadsky. He isolated this shell from other earthly spheres, updated its meaning and presented that it is a very active sphere that changes and influences all ecosystems. The scientist became the founder of a new discipline - biogeochemistry, on the basis of which the doctrine of the biosphere was substantiated.

Studying living matter, Vernadsky concluded that all forms of relief, climate, atmosphere, rocks of sedimentary origin are the result of the activity of all living organisms. One of the key roles in this is given to people who have a huge influence on the course of many earthly processes, being a certain element that possesses a certain force that can change the face of the planet.

Vladimir Ivanovich presented the theory of all living things in his work “Biosphere” (1926), which contributed to the emergence of a new scientific branch. In his work, the academician presented the biosphere as an integral system, showed its components and their relationships, as well as the role of humans. When living matter interacts with inert matter, a number of processes are affected:

• geochemical;
• biological;
• biogenic;
• geological;
• migration of atoms.

Vernadsky outlined that the boundaries of the biosphere are the field of existence of life. Its development is influenced by oxygen and air temperature, water and mineral elements, soil and solar energy. The scientist also identified the main components of the biosphere, discussed above, and identified the main one - living matter. He also formulated all the functions of the biosphere.

Among the main provisions of Vernadsky’s teaching on the living environment, the following theses can be distinguished:

• the biosphere covers the entire aquatic environment to ocean depths, includes the surface layer of the earth up to 3 kilometers and airspace to the boundary of the troposphere;
• showed the difference between the biosphere and other shells in its dynamism and constant activity of all living organisms;
• the specificity of this shell lies in the continuous circulation of elements of living and inanimate nature;
• the activity of living matter has led to significant changes throughout the planet;
• the existence of the biosphere is determined by the astronomical position of the Earth (distance from the Sun, tilt of the planet’s axis), which determines the climate and the course of life cycles on the planet;
• Solar energy is the source of life for all creatures in the biosphere.

Perhaps these are the key concepts about the living environment that Vernadsky laid down in his teaching, although his works are global and require further understanding, they are still relevant to this day. They became the basis for the research of other scientists.

Conclusion

To summarize, it is worth noting that life in the biosphere is distributed differently and unevenly. A large number of living organisms live on the earth's surface, be it aquatic or land. All beings come into contact with water, minerals and the atmosphere, being in continuous communication with them. This is what provides optimal conditions for life (oxygen, water, light, heat, nutrients). The deeper into the ocean water or underground, the more monotonous life is. Living matter also spreads over an area, and it is worth noting the diversity of life forms throughout the earth's surface. To understand this life, we will need more than a dozen years, or even hundreds, but we need to value the biosphere and protect it from our harmful human influence today.

What is the biosphere and how does it differ from other layers of the earth?

biosphere natural protection

The Earth has 6 shells: atmosphere, hydrosphere, biosphere, lithosphere, pyrosphere and centrosphere.

The atmosphere is the outer gaseous shell of the Earth. Its lower boundary runs along the lithosphere and hydrosphere, and its upper boundary at an altitude of 1000 km. The atmosphere is divided into the troposphere (moving layer), stratosphere (layer above the troposphere) and ionosphere (upper layer). The average height of the troposphere is 10 km. Its mass makes up 75% of the total mass of the atmosphere. The air in the troposphere moves in both horizontal and vertical directions. The stratosphere rises 80 km above the troposphere. Its air, moving only in a horizontal direction, forms layers. Even higher extends the ionosphere, which got its name due to the fact that its air is constantly ionized under the influence of ultraviolet and cosmic rays.

The hydrosphere occupies 71% of the Earth's surface. Its average salinity is 35 g/l. The temperature of the ocean surface is from 3 to 32 °C, density is about 1. Sunlight penetrates to a depth of 200 m, and ultraviolet rays penetrate to a depth of 800 m.

The biosphere, or sphere of life, merges with the atmosphere, hydrosphere and lithosphere. Its upper boundary reaches the upper layers of the troposphere, the lower boundary runs along the bottom of the ocean basins. The biosphere is divided into the sphere of plants (over 500,000 species) and the sphere of animals (over 1,000,000 species).

Lithosphere is the rocky shell of the Earth with a thickness of 40 to 100 km. It includes continents, islands and the bottom of the oceans. Average height of continents above ocean level: Antarctica - 2200 m, Asia - 960 m, Africa - 750 m, North America - 720 m, South America - 590 m, Europe - 340 m, Australia - 340 m .

Below the lithosphere is the pyrosphere - the fiery shell of the Earth. Its temperature increases by about 1°C for every 33 m of depth. Due to high temperatures and high pressure, rocks at significant depths are likely to be in a molten state.

The centosphere, or the core of the Earth, is located at a depth of not 1800 km. According to most scientists, it consists of iron and nickel. The pressure here reaches 300,000,000,000 Pa (3,000,000 atmospheres), the temperature is several thousand degrees. The state of the core is still unknown.

The fiery sphere of the Earth continues to cool. The hard shell thickens, the fiery shell thickens. At one time, this led to the formation of solid stone blocks - continents. However, the influence of the fiery sphere on the life of planet Earth is still very great. The outlines of continents and oceans, the climate, and the composition of the atmosphere changed repeatedly.

Exogenous and endogenous processes continuously change the solid surface of our planet, which, in turn, actively affects the Earth's biosphere.

In the biosphere, all processes occur under the direct influence of living organisms. The biosphere is located at the junction of the lithosphere, hydrosphere and atmosphere, ranging from 11 km deep into the Earth to 33 km above the Earth. Living organisms, which include all known chemical elements, transform energy during their life processes. All living things are divided into five kingdoms: bacteria, algae, fungi, plants and animals.

Modern science believes that approximately 1 billion years ago there was a division of living beings into the kingdoms of plants and animals. The differences between them can be divided into three groups: 1) according to the structure of cells and their ability to grow; 2) according to the method of nutrition; 3) according to the ability to move. Animal cells have centrioles, but no chlorophyll or cell wall to prevent them from changing shape. Most plants obtain the substances necessary for life as a result of the absorption of mineral compounds. Animals feed on ready-made organic compounds that plants create through the process of photosynthesis. The classification of plants and animals is built in accordance with their distinctive characteristics. The species was recognized as the main structural unit, and higher levels consisted successively of the genus, order, and class.

On Earth there are 500 thousand species of plants and 1.5 million species of animals, including 70 thousand vertebrates, about 16 thousand birds, 12,540 species of mammals. Such systematization of various forms of life created the prerequisites for the study of living matter as a whole, which was first carried out by the outstanding Russian scientist Vladimir Ivanovich Vernadsky in his doctrine of the biosphere. The main conclusions of Vernadsky’s doctrine of the biosphere boil down to the following:

• 1. The principle of integrity states that the biosphere and life exist as a single whole. Life is a necessary and natural part of a harmonious cosmic mechanism.
• 2. The principle of harmony of the biosphere lies in its organization, harmony, and the inextricable connection of living and nonliving components in it.
• 3. The principle of the significance of the role of living things in the evolution of the Earth states that on the earth's surface there is no chemical force more constantly operating and more powerful in its final consequences than organisms taken as a whole. The appearance of the Earth as a celestial body is actually shaped by life.
• 4. The main role of the biosphere is to transform solar energy into effective energy of the Earth. Cosmic energy causes the development of life, which is achieved by reproduction.
• 5. The rule of inertia is the spread of life across the earth's surface due to the manifestation of its geochemical energy. Small organisms reproduce much faster than large ones.
• 6. The law of thrift in the use of simple chemical bodies by living matter states that once an element enters the body, it goes through a long series of states and at the same time the body introduces only the required amount of elements.
• 7. The limits of life are determined by the physical and chemical properties of the compounds that build the body, their indestructibility under certain environmental conditions. The maximum field of life is determined by the extreme limits of survival of organisms. The upper limit of life is determined by radiant energy, the presence of which excludes life and from which the ozone shield protects. The lower limit is associated with reaching a high temperature. For example, the life temperature interval of 430° (from -250 °C to +180 °C) is the limiting thermal field.
• 8. Life gradually, slowly adapting, captured the biosphere, and this capture did not end. The field of stability of life is the result of adaptation in the course of time.

Biosphere, according to V.I. Vernadsky, is an organized, definite shell of the earth’s crust associated with life. The limits of the biosphere are limited, first of all, by the field of existence of life. The biosphere is not just one of the existing shells of the Earth, like the lithosphere, hydrosphere or atmosphere. The main difference between the biosphere is that it is an organized shell. To be alive means to be organized, noted V.I. Vernadsky, and this is the essence of the concept of the biosphere as an organized shell of the Earth.

According to V.I. Vernadsky, the substance of the biosphere is heterogeneous in its physical and chemical composition, namely:

• - living matter - a collection of living organisms;
• - biogenic matter - a continuous biogenic flow of atoms from living matter into the indirect matter of the biosphere and back;
• - inert matter (atmosphere, gases, rocks, etc.);
• - bioinert matter, for example, soils, silts, surface waters, the biosphere itself, i.e. complex natural inert living structures;
• - radioactive substance;
• - scattered atoms;
• - a substance of cosmic origin.

Although the boundaries of the biosphere are quite narrow, living organisms within them are distributed very unevenly. At high altitudes and in the depths of the hydrosphere and lithosphere, organisms are relatively rare. Life is concentrated mainly on the surface of the Earth, in the soil and in the near-surface layer of the ocean. The total mass of living organisms is estimated at 2.43 * 1012 tons. The biomass of organisms living on land is 99.2% represented by green plants and 0.8% by animals and microorganisms. In contrast, in the ocean, plants account for 6.3%, and animals and microorganisms account for 93.7% of the total biomass. Life is focused mainly on land. The total biomass of the ocean is only 0.03 1012, or 0.13% of the biomass of all creatures living on Earth. An important pattern is observed in the distribution of living organisms by species composition. Of the total number of species, 21% are plants, but their contribution to the total biomass is 99%. Among animals, 96% of species are invertebrates and only 4% are vertebrates, of which a tenth are mammals. The mass of living matter is only 0.01-0.02% of the inert matter of the biosphere, but it plays a leading role in geochemical processes. Organisms obtain substances and energy necessary for metabolism from the environment. Limited amounts of living matter are recreated, transformed and decomposed. Every year, thanks to the vital activity of plants and animals, about 10% of the biomass is reproduced. In addition to plants and animals V.I. Vernadsky includes in the concept of “living matter” humanity, whose influence on geochemical processes differs from the influence of other living beings, firstly, in its intensity, which increases with the course of geological time; secondly, the impact that human activities have on other living beings.

Life on Earth now depends entirely on photosynthesis. By fixing the energy of sunlight in the products of photosynthesis, plants play the cosmic role of an energy source on Earth. Photosynthesis refers to the transformation of simple compounds (water, carbon dioxide and mineral elements) by green plants and photosynthetic microorganisms with the participation of light energy and light-absorbing pigments (chlorophyll, etc.) into complex organic substances necessary for the life of all organisms. Every year, plants form up to 100 billion tons of organic substances and fix

9 * 1020 J of solar radiation energy. At the same time, plants absorb up to 170 billion tons of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and decompose up to 130 billion tons of water, releasing up to 115 billion tons of free oxygen.

Thus, all biotic components of an ecosystem are divided into three main groups: producers (green plants and organisms that can use chemical energy - chemosynthetics), consumers, or consumers (can be of several trophic levels), and decomposers, or destroyers (organisms, transforming, mineralizing organic matter and thereby closing the biological cycle). All living organisms, one way or another using each other, form a gigantic biological cycle of the biosphere. This cycle is not completely closed: in addition to the energy input (solar energy), it also has an output - part of the dying organic matter, after decomposition by microorganisms-mineralizers, can enter aqueous solutions and be deposited in the form of sedimentary rocks, and the other part forms deposits of such biogenic rocks as coal, peat, sapropel, etc.

In this large biogeochemical cycle of matter and energy, a number of more particular cycles of substances are distinguished - water, carbon, oxygen, nitrogen, sulfur, phosphorus, etc., during which the exchange of chemical elements occurs between living organisms and the inorganic environment. The existence of these biogeochemical cycles determines the appearance of modern ecosystems, the stability and self-regulation of the biosphere as a whole. Therefore, no matter how complex and diverse the manifestations of life on Earth may be, all forms of life are interconnected through the cycle of matter and energy.

In this regard, three stages in the evolution of the biosphere can be distinguished. The first stage was the emergence of the biotic cycle, which meant the formation of the biosphere. The second stage is the complication of life on the planet, due to the emergence of multicellular organisms. The third stage is the formation of human society, which through its economic activities has an increasing influence on the evolution of the biosphere (noosphere). Attempts to identify the main stages of the evolution of the biosphere deserve attention simply because they pose this problem as one of the important tasks of modern evolutionary theory.

My son’s questions sometimes take me by surprise... Yesterday he suddenly asked about what the biosphere is. I was even confused, not knowing how to answer. This is the case when you seem to understand what it’s about, but you can’t tell it clearly. I had to sit down at the computer and find out everything about this shell of the Earth.

What shells does the Earth have?

Our planet is complex, although this is somehow forgotten in everyday life. We breathe, drink, eat and go about our daily activities without thinking. That is, we constantly interact with the planet and its shells:

• gaseous (atmosphere);
• solid (lithosphere);
• liquid (hydrosphere).

What is the biosphere

The fourth shell of the Earth is called the biosphere, or “living shell”. It consists of two components: living and non-living. All living organisms on the planet make up the living matter of the biosphere, which captures parts of the other three shells. After all, living organisms are common in air, water, soil and sediment. We can say that where life ends, the biosphere ends.

The difference between the biosphere and other shells

The main difference is living matter, its enormous diversity, ability for self-regulation, reproduction and restoration.

This happens thanks to the following features:

• the constant circulation of substances, which is regulated by living organisms;
• the openness of this sphere to cosmic energies and the energy of the Sun;
• the ability of living beings to convert solar energy into other types of energy;
• maintaining balance in the biosphere through the species diversity of living organisms and their relationships.

Simply put, living beings themselves take care of creating conditions for their life on the planet. It is their merit that water and air have the composition that is necessary for life; they form soil and minerals through interactions with each other and nonliving matter.

Man is also part of the biosphere. He actively intervenes in all the processes occurring in it and uses the result of the “work” of living organisms for his own needs, often harming nature, and therefore the biosphere.

The biosphere is the environment of our life, this is the nature that surrounds us, which we talk about in colloquial language. A person - first of all - with his breathing, the manifestation of his functions, is inextricably linked with this “nature”, even if he lives in a city or in a secluded house.

V. I. Vernadsky

Biosphere(Greek bios - life, sphere - ball, sphere) - the complex outer shell of the Earth, inhabited by organisms that together make up the living matter of the planet. This is one of the most important geospheres of the Earth, which is the main component of the natural environment surrounding humans.

The term “biosphere” was first introduced into science by the Austrian geologist Eduard Suess in 1875. He understood the biosphere as a thin film of life on the earth’s surface. The role and importance of the biosphere for the development of life on our planet turned out to be so great that already in the first third of the 20th century. a new fundamental scientific direction in natural science has emerged - doctrine of the biosphere , the founder of which is the great Russian scientist V.I. Vernadsky.

The Earth and its environment were formed as a result of the natural development of the entire solar system. About 4.7 billion years ago, planet Earth was formed from gas and dust matter scattered in the protosolar system. Like other planets, the Earth receives energy from the Sun, which reaches the earth's surface in the form of electromagnetic radiation. Solar heat is one of the main components of the Earth's climate, the basis for the development of many geological processes. A huge heat flow comes from the depths of the Earth.

According to the latest data, the mass of the Earth is 6x10 21 tons, volume - 1.083x10 12 km 3, surface area - 510.2 million km 2. The size, and therefore all the natural resources of our planet are limited.

Our planet has a heterogeneous structure and consists of concentric shells (geospheres) - internal and external. The internal ones include the core, the mantle, and the external ones include the lithosphere (earth's crust), hydrosphere, atmosphere and the complex shell of the Earth - the biosphere.

Lithosphere(Greek “lithos” - stone) - the stone shell of the Earth, including the earth’s crust with a thickness (thickness) from 6 (under the oceans) to 80 km (mountain systems). The earth's crust is composed of rocks. The share of various rocks in the earth's crust is not the same - more than 70% is basalts, granites and other igneous rocks, about 17% is rocks transformed by pressure and high temperature, and only a little more than 12% is sedimentary.

The earth's crust is the most important resource for humanity. It contains combustible minerals (coal, oil, oil shale), ore (iron, aluminum, copper, tin, etc.) and non-metallic (phosphorites, apatites, etc.) minerals, natural building materials (limestones, sands, gravel and etc.).

Hydrosphere(Greek “gidorah” - water) - the watery shell of the Earth. It is divided into surface and underground.

Surface hydrosphere- the water shell of the surface part of the Earth. It includes the waters of oceans, seas, lakes, rivers, reservoirs, swamps, glaciers, snow covers, etc. All these waters are permanently or temporarily located on the earth's surface and are called surface water.

The surface hydrosphere does not form a continuous layer and intermittently covers the earth's surface by 70.8%.

Underground hydrosphere- includes waters located in the upper part of the earth's crust. They are called underground. The underground hydrosphere is limited from above by the surface of the earth; its lower boundary cannot be traced, since the hydrosphere penetrates very deeply into the thickness of the earth's crust.

In relation to the volume of the globe, the total volume of the hydrosphere does not exceed 0.13%. The main part of the hydrosphere (96.53%) is the World Ocean. Groundwater accounts for 23.4 million km 2, or 1.69% of the total volume of the hydrosphere, the rest is water from rivers, lakes and glaciers.

More than 98% of all water resources of the Earth are salty waters of the oceans, seas, etc. The total volume of fresh water on Earth is 28.25 million km 3, or about 2% of the total volume of the hydrosphere. The bulk of fresh water is concentrated in glaciers, the waters of which are still used very little. The rest of the fresh waters suitable for water supply account for 4.2 million km3 of water, or only 0.3% of the volume of the hydrosphere.

The hydrosphere plays a huge role in shaping the natural environment of our planet. It also very actively influences atmospheric processes (heating and cooling of air masses, saturating them with moisture, etc.).

Atmosphere(Greek “atmos” - steam) - the gaseous envelope of the Earth, consisting of a mixture of various gases, water vapor and dust. The total mass of the atmosphere is 5.15-10 15 tons. At an altitude of 10 to 50 km, with a maximum concentration at an altitude of 20-25 km, there is a layer of ozone that protects the Earth from excessive ultraviolet irradiation, which is fatal to organisms.

The atmosphere physically, chemically and mechanically affects the lithosphere, regulating the distribution of heat and moisture. Weather and climate on Earth depend on the distribution of heat, pressure and water vapor content in the atmosphere. Water vapor absorbs solar radiation, increases air density, and is the source of all precipitation. The atmosphere supports various forms of life on Earth.

In the formation of the Earth's natural environment, the role of the troposphere (the lower layer of the atmosphere up to a height of 8-10 km in polar, 10-12 km in temperate and 16-18 km in tropical latitudes) and, to a lesser extent, the stratosphere, a region of cold rarefied dry air with a thickness of approximately 20 km. Meteorite dust continuously falls through the stratosphere, volcanic dust is ejected into it, and in the past, products of nuclear explosions in the atmosphere.

In the troposphere, global vertical and horizontal movements of air masses occur, which largely determine the water cycle, heat exchange, and transboundary transport of dust particles and pollution.

Atmospheric processes are closely related to processes occurring in the lithosphere and water shell.

Atmospheric phenomena include: precipitation, clouds, fog, thunderstorm, ice, dust (sand) storm, squall, blizzard, frost, dew, hoarfrost, icing, aurora, etc.

The atmosphere, hydrosphere and lithosphere interact closely with each other. Almost all surface exogenous geological processes are caused by this interaction and usually take place in the biosphere.

Biosphere- the outer shell of the Earth, which includes part of the atmosphere up to a height of 25-30 km (up to the ozone layer), almost the entire hydrosphere and the upper part of the lithosphere to a depth of approximately 3 km. The peculiarity of these parts is that they are inhabited by living organisms that make up the living matter of the planet. The interaction of the abiotic part of the biosphere - air, water and rocks and organic matter - biota determined the formation of soils and sedimentary rocks. The latter, according to V.I. Vernadsky, bear traces of the activity of ancient biospheres that existed in past geological eras.