Definition
The biosphere, also called the ecosphere, is the worldwide sum of all ecosystems. It can also be termed the zone of life on the Earth. The biosphere is virtually a closed system with regard to matter, with minimal inputs and outputs. Regarding energy, it is an open system, with photosynthesis capturing solar energy at a rate of around 100 terawatts. By the most general biophysiological definition, the biosphere is the global ecological system integrating all living beings and their relationships, including their interaction with the elements of the lithosphere, cryosphere, hydrosphere, and atmosphere. The biosphere is postulated to have evolved, beginning with a process of biopoiesis or biogenesis, at least some 3.5 billion years ago.
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AbiogenesisAdaptive managementAge of the EarthAgenda 21Agricultural landAir pollutionAir quality indexAir quality lawAir well (condenser)AirshedAltitudeAncient Greek languageAnimalAntarctic CircleAntarcticaAnthropizationAnthropoceneAnti-consumerismAppropriate technologyAquiferAquifer storage and recoveryArable landArchaeaArctic CircleArizonaArthur TansleyAstrobiologyAstrobiology (journal)Astrobiology MagazineAstronomyAtmosphere of EarthAtmospheric scienceAutonomous University of BarcelonaBBC OnlineBIOS-3BacteriaBar-headed gooseBeachBiocoenosisBiodiversityBioenergyBiogenesisBiogenic substanceBiogeochemistryBiogeographyBiological organisationBiological systemBiologyBiomass (ecology)BiomeBiomoleculeBiopiracyBioprospectingBioretentionBiosecurityBiosphere (disambiguation)Biosphere 2Biosphere modelBioswaleBiota (ecology)Biotic materialBlue roofBrundtland CommissionBush tuckerBushmeatCNETCalculusCarbonCarbon footprintCarl ZimmerCatchwaterCell (biology)Challenger DeepCharles DarwinChemical elementChemistryCircular economyCityscapeCivic agricultureClean Air Act (United States)ClimateClimate-smart agricultureClimate change and fisheriesClimate financeClimate systemClosed ecological systemCloudCommon-pool resourceCommon landCommonsCommunity-supported agricultureConflict resourceConservation biologyConstructed wetlandConvention on Biological DiversityCorporate environmental responsibilityCorporate social responsibilityCryosphereCultural sustainabilityCultured meatCurrent BiologyDebt Sustainability AnalysisDeep biosphereDeep seaDemographic transitionDennis OverbyeDependency ratioDesalinationDetention basinDew pondDisinvestmentDrainage basinDrinking waterDurable goodEarliest known life formsEarthEarth's atmosphereEarth's crustEarth's surfaceEarth CharterEarth Overshoot DayEarth SummitEarth Summit 2002Earth analogEarth scienceEarth sciencesEco-capitalismEco-citiesEco-investingEco-socialismEcological economicsEcological footprintEcologyEcology (history)Ecosphere (planetary)EcosystemEcosystem serviceEcovillageEduard SuessElectrostateEmissions tradingEnclosureEndangered speciesEndolithEnergyEnergy conservationEnergy lawEnergy resourceEnvironmental accountingEnvironmental chemistryEnvironmental degradationEnvironmental designEnvironmental economicsEnvironmental engineeringEnvironmental epidemiologyEnvironmental financeEnvironmental full-cost accountingEnvironmental goodEnvironmental healthEnvironmental humanitiesEnvironmental planningEnvironmental remediationEnvironmental scienceEnvironmental soil scienceEnvironmental statisticsEnvironmental studiesEnvironmental technologyEnvironmental toxicologyEnvironmentalismEnvironmentally friendlyEquatorEthical consumerismEukaryoteEuropean Space AgencyEvolutionEvolvedExcite (web portal)Exploitation of natural resourcesFalse colorFamily planningFaunaFauna (animals)Field (agriculture)Field (physics)Fiscal sustainabilityFisheries lawFisheries managementFisheryFloodFloraFlora (plants)FoodForbesForestForest genetic resourcesForest managementForestry lawFossil fuelFossilsFresh waterFuel gasFungusFuture of EarthGLOBIO ModelGaia hypothesisGalápagos hotspotGame (hunting)Game lawGemstoneGene bankGenerational accountingGeoEyeGeochemistryGeodesyGeologicalGeological history of EarthGeologyGeoparkGeophysicsGeophysiologyGeosphereGeothermal energyGeothermal gradientGlacierGlobal commonsGlobal governanceGlobal warmingGlossary of environmental scienceGoddard Space Flight CenterGraphiteGreen chemistryGreen consumptionGreen developmentGreen economyGreen infrastructureGreen marketingGreen roofGreeningGroundwaterGroundwater pollutionGroundwater rechargeGroundwater remediationHabitable zoneHabitat conservationHistory of EarthHistory of lifeHolocene extinctionHomeostasisHot springHuertaHuman impact on the environmentHuman population controlHumanistic capitalismHydroelectricityHydrologyHydropowerHydrosphereHydrothermal ventIceIcebergImpact investingImproved sanitationImproved water sourceIndex of sustainability articlesIndoor air qualityIndustrial mineralInfiltration basinInflation (cosmology)Integrated landscape managementInterdisciplinaryIntergenerational equityInternal structure of EarthInternational Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and AgricultureInternational Union for the Protection of New Varieties of PlantsInvasive speciesIrrigationIrrigation tankJapanJosef GitelsonKepler Space TelescopeKrasnoyarskLandLand-use planningLand (economics)Land degradationLand lawLand managementLand useLandscapeLatitudeLeaching (agriculture)LifeLife-support systemLimnologyLisbon PrinciplesList of countries by dependency ratioList of environmental degreesList of environmental journalsList of environmental research institutesList of plants used in herbalismList of years in the environmentLithosphereLiveScienceLive ScienceLiving beingsMELiSSAMacromolecular assemblyMacromoleculeMan and the Biosphere ProgrammeMariana TrenchMarine conservationMarine energyMarine resourcesMarsMatterMatthew F. MauryMeadowMetalMetasedimentMeteorologyMethanopyrus kandleriMicro-sustainabilityMicro hydroMicrobeMicrobialMicrobial matMicrobiologyMicroorganismMicropaleontologyMilky Way galaxyMindspark Interactive NetworkMineralMineral rightsMiningMining lawModel (abstract)Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical SocietyMontreal BiosphereMoonlightMountain goatNASANational Ambient Air Quality StandardsNatural buildingNatural capitalNatural capital accountingNatural environmentNatural heritageNatural resourceNatural resource economicsNatural resource managementNatureNature-based solutionsNature (journal)Nature GeoscienceNature reserveNon-renewable resourceNon-timber forest productNoosphereNora NoffkeNorthwestern United StatesNuclear powerNuvvuagittuq Greenstone BeltOceanOcean thermal energy conversionOceanographyOil warOpen space reserveOreOrgan (biology)OrganelleOrganic movementOrganismOrigin of lifeOrigin of water on EarthOur Common FutureOutline of Earth sciencesOutline of sustainabilityOver-consumptionOverexploitationOzone depletionPanspermiaParticlePasturePaul CrutzenPeak coalPeak copperPeak farmlandPeak gasPeak mineralsPeak oilPeak phosphorusPeak waterPetro-IslamPetroleum politicsPetrostatePhotosynthesisPhysicsPico hydroPiezophilePlanetary boundariesPlanetary habitabilityPlanetary managementPlantPlant genetic resourcesPlate tectonicsPolar ice capPolar regionPollution controlPopulation (biology)Population ageingProduct stewardshipProkaryoteProperty lawProtistPublic transportPuerto Rico TrenchREDD and REDD+RadiationRadioecologyRainRain gardenRainwater harvestingRainwater tankRangelandRare Earth (book)Rare Earth hypothesisRare biosphereRebecca MorelleReclaimed waterRecyclingRemnant natural areaRenewable energyRenewable resourceResourceResource curseResource depletionResource extractionResource nationalismResource warRetention basinRio Declaration on Environment and DevelopmentRoad ecologyRun-of-the-river hydroelectricityRüppell's vultureSand miningSandstoneSanitationScience DailyScientific AmericanScientific ReportsSeaWiFSSeascapeSeed bankSewageSewage treatmentShade (shadow)Shadow biosphereSiberiaSimple livingSmall hydroSnowSocial return on investmentSocially responsible businessSocially responsible marketingSoilSoil biomantleSoil conservationSoil fertilitySoil healthSoil resilienceSolar energySoundscapeSoviet UnionSpaceSpace sustainabilitySpherical shellSteady-state economyStephen Blair HedgesStormwaterSunlightSurface waterSustainabilitySustainability accountingSustainability advertisingSustainability and environmental managementSustainability and systemic change resistanceSustainability brandSustainability in constructionSustainability marketing myopiaSustainability measurementSustainability metrics and indicesSustainability organizationSustainability organizationsSustainability reportingSustainability scienceSustainability standards and certificationSustainability studiesSustainable Development GoalsSustainable advertisingSustainable agricultureSustainable architectureSustainable artSustainable businessSustainable citySustainable communitySustainable consumer behaviourSustainable consumptionSustainable designSustainable developmentSustainable dietSustainable drainage systemSustainable energySustainable fashionSustainable financeSustainable fisherySustainable food systemSustainable forest managementSustainable gardeningSustainable industriesSustainable landscape architectureSustainable livelihoodSustainable livingSustainable managementSustainable marketSustainable materials managementSustainable packagingSustainable populationSustainable procurementSustainable refurbishmentSustainable sanitationSustainable sourcingSustainable tourismSustainable transportSustainable urban drainage systemsSustainable urban infrastructureSustainable yieldSwedenSwinburne University of TechnologySystems ecologyTRAPPIST-1TechnogaianismTerraforming of MarsThe Case for MarsThe Given InstituteThomas GoldTidal powerTidal stream generatorTideTimeTissue (biology)TornadoTragedy of the commonsTree box filterTropical cycloneUnited Nations Conference on Sustainable DevelopmentUnited Nations Conference on the Human EnvironmentUnited Nations Millennium DeclarationUniverseUrban ecologyUrban metabolismViewshedVirusVladimir I. VernadskyWardian caseWaste managementWaterWater-sensitive urban designWater conflictWater conservationWater efficiencyWater footprintWater heat recyclingWater lawWater pollutionWater privatizationWater purificationWater qualityWater recycling showerWater resource policyWater resourcesWater rightWater scarcityWater securityWater supplyWattWeatherWestern AustraliaWestern GreenlandWildernessWildfireWildlifeWildlife conservationWildlife managementWindWind powerWinogradsky columnWoodWorld Conference on Cultural Policies and Sustainable DevelopmentWorld energy resourcesWorld oceanWorld populationXenophyophoreYak
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