Biosphere: Origin, Components, Importance, Examples

The biosphere is the region where life exists along with the air and the land. It is the combination of all types of ecosystems on Earth which integrates all the biological communities and their interactions or relationships with the environment.

The living communities include animals, bacteria, plants, fungi, and human beings. It is derived from the Greek word “bios” and “sphaira” which means “Life” and “Earth’s shape” respectively. The term was coined by Eduard Suess, an English Austrian scientist, in his book titled “The Face of Earth” in which he discussed the relationships between living things and how the Earth supports them.

The biosphere encompasses everything from the deepest tree roots to the shadowy depths of the ocean, dense rainforests, and lofty mountaintops. It is also called the ecosphere. It can be found up to 12500 meters above sea level and at least 8000 meters deep in the ocean. Aside from natural biosphere, manmade ones have also been created, such as Biosphere 2, which is perhaps the biggest closed ecosystem ever made by humans.