Biosphere, Biology

Assignment Help:

Biosphere

Biosphere is that part of the earth where life can exist. It is a narfqy layer around the surface of the earth. If you visualise the earth to be the size of an apple the biosphere would be as thick as its skin. The biosphere extends from the floor of the ocean some 11,000 metres below the surface of the earth to the top of the highest mountains, or about 9,000 metres above the sea level. Its most densely populated region is just above and below the sea level.

Biosphere represents a highly integrated and interacting zone comprising of atmosphere (air), hydrosphere (water) and lithosphere (land) as you can see in Figure shown below.

2231_biosphere.jpg

Life inthe biosphere is abundant between 200 metres (660 feet) below the surface of the ocean and about 6,000 metres (20,000 feet) above sea level.

Biosphere is absent at extremes of the North and South poles, the highest mountains and the deepest oceans, since existing conditions there do not support life. Occasionally spores of fungi and bacteria do occur at great height beyond 9,000 metres, but they are not metabolically active, and hence represent only dormant life.

The energy required for the life within the biosphere comes from the sun. The nutrients necessaj for living organisms come from air, water and soil and not from outside. The same chemicals are recycled over and over again for life to continue. Living organisms are not uniformly distributed throughout the biosphere. Only a few organisms live in the polar regions, while the tropical rain forests have an exceedingly rich diversity of plants and animals.

 


Related Discussions:- Biosphere

What is the most probable inheritance pattern of a trait, What is the most ...

What is the most probable inheritance pattern of a trait with gaussian proportional distribution of phenotypical forms? If a trait statistically has a normal (bell-shaped curve

Bovine leukemia, Bovine leukemia Bovine leukemia, also known as bovine...

Bovine leukemia Bovine leukemia, also known as bovine lymphosarcoma or leucosis, is a lymphoproliferative neoplastic disease of bovines. The virus belongs to genus Deltaretrov

Define high density lipoproteins, Q. Define High Density Lipoproteins ? ...

Q. Define High Density Lipoproteins ? High density lipoproteins (HDL) are the smallest of the lipoprotein species and transport approximately 20 to 30 per cent of plasma choles

Typical form or reparative regeneration - heteromorphosis, Typical Form or ...

Typical Form or Reparative Regeneration - Heteromorphosis Sometimes the part which grows back is not the same as that which was lost. The phenomenon is called Heteromorphosis.

How many cells are in the human body, How many cells are in the human body?...

How many cells are in the human body? According to "The Handy Science Answer Book" noted by the Science and Technology Department of the Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh (1994) th

Explain continuous full - thickness incision, Q. Explain Continuous full - ...

Q. Explain Continuous full - thickness incision? Continuous full - thickness incisions are indicated for a variety of situations outlined below. This type of incision may be us

Explain cardiopulmonary resuscitation, Explain Cardiopulmonary Resuscitatio...

Explain Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation? The heart rhythm associated with cardiac arrest can be either ventricular fibrillation/ ventricular tachycardia (VT/VF) or other rhythms

Ross operation-surgical techniques, Ross Operation :  In this technic...

Ross Operation :  In this technically demanding operation, the aortic valve is replaced by patient's own pulmonary valve (autograft) and a pulmonary or aortic allograft (homo

Nutritional requirements of fats and oils during pregnancy, Define Nutritio...

Define Nutritional Requirements of Fats and Oils during Pregnancy and Lactation? ICMR (1990) recommends that linoleic acid requirements should be raised to 4.5 en% during pregn

Reparative regeneration, Reparative Regeneration This type of regener...

Reparative Regeneration This type of regeneration, as the name suggests, involves repair of a wound or replacement of a body part removed intentionally or because of injury.

Write Your Message!

Captcha
Free Assignment Quote

Assured A++ Grade

Get guaranteed satisfaction & time on delivery in every assignment order you paid with us! We ensure premium quality solution document along with free turntin report!

All rights reserved! Copyrights ©2019-2020 ExpertsMind IT Educational Pvt Ltd