Know the Different Components of The Ecosphere

First of all, the first action is awareness. Earth is a very complex system. Therefore, to facilitate its study, it is divided into four subsystems (geosphere, hydrosphere, atmosphere and biosphere). 

In this sense, in order to understand the concept of the ecosphere , we must first of all know what these different components of the ecosphere are:

Different components of the ecosphere

The geosphere

The geosphere is the internal structure of the earth, that is, it encompasses from the surface to the interior of the earth . It forms the ocean floors, islands and continents, helps to regulate temperature and allows the movement of tectonic plates, among other functions.

The hydrosphere

The hydrosphere refers to all the water on our planet. Some of its functions include the regulation of the climate and the habitat for many living beings.

The atmosphere

It is the gaseous layer that surrounds the earth. It is essential for life, since it filters a large part of solar radiation, regulates temperature and, near the earth’s surface, contains essential gases for life, such as o2.

Once the three previous subsystems are understood, we will focus on the biosphere . The biosphere is the layer of the earth that encompasses all areas of the geosphere, hydrosphere and atmosphere where life develops . It is also known as the set of all living things that inhabit the planet .

An ecosystem is the biological unit formed by a community of living beings ( biocenosis ), the physical environment in which they live (biotope) and the interactions of this set of living beings with other living beings and with their environment.

Relate the concepts

From these concepts, defining the term ecosphere is very simple. We can approximate it through the definitions of biosphere and ecosystem .

First of all, it could be said that the ecosphere is an ecosystem on a global scale, known as a planetary ecosystem, in which the biocenosis or biotic component is all living beings that inhabit the earth. More specifically, the living beings that inhabit the biosphere.

Second, the biotope or abiotic component is the geosphere, the hydrosphere and the atmosphere, that is, the physical environment in which the biosphere lives and develops. Living things interact with each other and the physical environment in which they live continuously. For example, when plants photosynthesize, they release oxygen into the atmosphere and, in this way, allow other living things to breathe.

Ecosphere can also be defined as the set of all ecosystems on the planet .

In summary, to understand what the ecosphere consists of, it is necessary to know well the rest of the systems that make up the earth . This, in turn, helps us to be aware of the impact and repercussions that our actions may have, due to the interdependent relationships between living beings and the physical environment in which they inhabit.