Components

of the Earth
 Components of the Earth

• Atmosphere is the mixture of gases surrounding

the Earth and other planets.

– Thermosphere
– Mesopause
– Mesosphere
– Stratopause
– Stratosphere
– Tropopause
– Troposphere
 Components of the Earth

• Hydrosphere is the part of the Earth composed

of water (including clouds, oceans, seas, ice
caps, glaciers, lakes, rivers, underground water
supplies, and atmospheric water vapour).
• Approximately 71% of the Earth is covered by
water.
– 97% of this water is in the oceans (salt water)
– 3% is freshwater
• 77% of freshwater is locked in ice
• 22% of freshwater is in the ground
• <1% of freshwater is in lakes, rivers, and wetlands
Hydrosphere
 Components of the Earth

• Lithosphere is the solid outer crust of the earth,

while the mantle and core comprise the interior of
the earth.
• The lithosphere runs up to 60 miles deep, is
divided into the crust and upper mantle.
– The upper part of the crust is made of igneous and
sedimentary rocks; this makes up the continents.
– The lower crust is made of igneous rocks which form
the ocean floors.
• The inner layers of the earth are the mantle and
the core
 Components of the Earth

• Lithosphere is the outer part of the earth,

consisting of the crust and upper mantle.
 Components of the Earth

• Biosphere is the life zone of the Earth and

includes all living organisms, including man, and
all organic matter that has not yet decomposed.
• The biosphere is structured into a hierarchy
known as the food chain whereby all life is
dependent upon the first tier (i.e. mainly the
primary producers that are capable of
photosynthesis).
• Energy and mass is transferred from one level of
the food chain to the next with an efficiency of
about 10%.
 Components of the Earth

• All organisms are intrinsically linked to their

physical environment and the relationship
between an organism and its environment is the
study of ecology.
• The biosphere can be divided into distinct
ecosystems that represent the interactions
between a group of organisms forming a trophic
pyramid and the environment or habitat in which
they live.
 Components of the Earth

• Biosphere is the combination of the lithosphere,

hydrosphere, and atmosphere that can support
life.
Components of the Earth
 Key Terms

• Ecology - the study of how organisms interact

with each other and their physical environment
• Biodiversity - the variety of life on our planet,
(measurable as the variety within species,
between species, and the variety of ecosystems)
• Carrying Capacity - the maximum number of
individuals of a given species that a site can
support during the most unfavorable time of year,
without causing deterioration of the site
 Key Terms

• Ecological Footprint - a calculation that

estimates the area of Earth required to supply the
resources that an individual demands, as well as
to absorb the wastes that the individual produces
• Sustainable Development - Development that
meets the needs of the present without
compromising the ability of future generations to
meet their own needs
• Global Commons - natural assets outside
national jurisdiction (e.g., oceans, outer space,
Antarctica)
The Essence of Ecology Laws
Law I Everything is connected to
everything else.
Law II Everything Must go
somewhere.
Law III Nature knows the best.

Law IV There is no such thing as free

lunch.
The Source:Were First The Closing
Formulated by Barry Commoner Circle:Nature,Man,and
in 1971 Technology
 The essence of ecology laws

Laws of Ecology Explanation Example

Everything is Nature sustains itself When one species in a food chain
connected to through an elaborate disappears(e.g.,high-order
everything else system of recycling predators),then all members of the
food chain are affected
Everything must go In nature,nothing Toxins in a landfill do not
somewhere disappears.Matter may disappear. They either stay where
change form,but it is they are or leach our environment.
indestructible.
Nature knows best Natural selection is Natural forest regeneration
based on produces a far superior forest than
sustainability.Human human reforestation.
tampering is bound to
disturb an ages-old
equilibrium.
There is no such thing There are Overfishing eventually reduces
as free lunch consequences for every the fish populations to
action unsustainable levels.
Earth – Also a Closed System

Resources are seen as

finite.

Cause and Effect

Biosphere 2
Biosphere II Project – How well can we
mimic nature’s ecosystems??
Biosphere II (http://www.bio2.edu/)

Purpose: Replicate and Study Earth Systems

Approach: Completely self-contained
 Re-opened to Public

• Biosphere 2 Center was opened to the public in

1990 as a research and learning center to explore
how our environment affects our lives and how we
affect our environment.
• The goal of Biosphere 2 has been to find ways to
become responsible stewards of our planet,
ensuring a good quality of life for us and for future
generations.
 System in Words

• On January 1, 1996, Columbia University - one of

the world's leading research and education
institutions - joined Biosphere 2 Center to expand
and guide its programs
• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a7B39MLVeIc&
feature=related
•
 Facts and Numbers

• Biosphere 2 was created to better understand Biosphere I -- planet

Earth
• Biosphere 2 covers 3.15 acres
• It is 91 feet at its highest point
• It is sealed off from Earth below by a 500-ton welded stainless steel
liner
• A host of instruments constantly monitors the air, soil and water
• The 25-foot ocean contains a million gallons of salt water
• Biosphere 2 contains five biomes - a rainforest, desert, savanna,
marsh and ocean. (A biome is a self-sustaining community of living
organisms.)
• The apparatus houses more than 3,000 species of living organisms
• The Habitat is open for public tours and features many exhibits
such as the Climate Change and Life on Earth exhibition.
Biosphere II Project - Needs
What do you need?
Food
Water
Lighting
Heat
Energy to run systems
Waste Treatment
Proximal Source
Constructed Ecosystems
Water
Food
Energy
Natural resources
Waste Removal
Distal Sources?
No – wish to be self-contained!!
 Biosphere II Project –
Success?

No!
Why not??? Concrete + O2 => CO2
Decreasing O2
Increasing CO2 >>>>>> poor air quality
And……Could not grow enough food

Cost
$2 billion/2 yrs
7 Biospherians

$143,000,000 /person /year !!

Another Closed System

 We Live in a Closed System!!

• Apollo 13 - No other planet to rescue us if something goes wrong

• Biosphere II
–expensive to build natural system to keep us going (and we still don’t
know how!)
– We cannot even build the basics – cannot replace nature

Consequences of Living in a Closed System

– Lots of Services provided by nature that we cannot easily, or in any

way, replace

– What are sources of:

• Air?
• Water?
• Soil?
 Ecosystem Services: What are
ecosystems worth to us?

Economic AND Non-Market Values

Discussion