biosphere
Planet's life zone
The biosphere is the part of Earth where life exists—the thin zone encompassing oceans, land surfaces, and lower atmosphere where organisms live and interact.
It includes all living things and the environments they inhabit, from deep-sea vents to mountain peaks.
Scientists study the biosphere as an interconnected system: Human activity is altering the biosphere at an unprecedented rate.
Finest taxonomic rank
- floraPlants of a region
- faunaAnimal life collectively
- endemicNative to one area
- taxonomyScience of categorical arrangement
evolution · adaptation · speciation · extinction · organisms · wildlife · microbiome · megafauna
Study of environmental relations
- trophicRelating to feeding
- photosynthesisLight-to-sugar conversion in plants
- populationAll inhabitants combined
- communityCollective of connected people
niche · keystone · succession · producer · consumer · decomposer · resilience · disturbance
Star-orbiting spherical body
- hydrospherePlanet's total water mass
- lithosphereCrust plus upper mantle
- geospherePlanet's solid rocky component
- cryosphereEarth's frozen water systems
magnetosphere · mantle · crust · Gaia · global · terrestrial · planetary
Capable of restoration
- eco-friendlyNot harming the environment
- recyclingReprocessing used materials
- compostingDecomposing organic matter deliberately
- biodegradableAble to decompose naturally
organic · permaculture · carbon-neutral · regenerative · balance · anthropocene
Maintaining something's condition
- endangeredAt risk of extinction
- protectionGuarding against harm
- sanctuaryProtected sacred space
- reserveSupply kept back
stewardship · reforestation · rewilding · extinction · rehabilitation · corridor · UNESCO · restoration
Climate-controlled plant enclosure
- warmingIncreasing in temperature
- carbonSixth element, atomic symbol C
- emissionsSubstances released into air
- ozoneTriatomic oxygen allotrope
glaciers · albedo · anthropogenic · precipitation · drought · monsoons · permafrost · temperature
Conversion to mineral form
- decompositionBreakdown into simpler parts
- fixationPersistent mental attachment
- sequestrationAct of setting apart
- respirationGas exchange in organisms
species
Finest taxonomic rank
taxonomy · evolution · adaptation · speciation · extinction · organisms · wildlife · microbiome · megafauna · phytoplankton
ecology
Study of environmental relations
- trophicRelating to feeding
- photosynthesisLight-to-sugar conversion in plants
- populationAll inhabitants combined
community · niche · keystone · succession · producer · consumer · decomposer · resilience · disturbance · habitat
planet
Star-orbiting spherical body
- hydrospherePlanet's total water mass
- lithosphereCrust plus upper mantle
- geospherePlanet's solid rocky component
cryosphere · magnetosphere · mantle · crust · Gaia · global · terrestrial · planetary
renewable
Capable of restoration
- eco-friendlyNot harming the environment
- recyclingReprocessing used materials
- compostingDecomposing organic matter deliberately
biodegradable · organic · permaculture · carbon-neutral · regenerative · balance · anthropocene
preservation
Maintaining something's condition
- endangeredAt risk of extinction
- protectionGuarding against harm
- sanctuaryProtected sacred space
reserve · stewardship · reforestation · rewilding · extinction · rehabilitation · corridor · UNESCO · restoration · deforestation
greenhouse
Climate-controlled plant enclosure
- warmingIncreasing in temperature
- carbonSixth element, atomic symbol C
- emissionsSubstances released into air
ozone · glaciers · albedo · anthropogenic · precipitation · drought · monsoons · permafrost · temperature
mineralization
Conversion to mineral form
- decompositionBreakdown into simpler parts
- fixationPersistent mental attachment
- sequestrationAct of setting apart
- Earthearth, Earth, globe, continent, axis
- environmentair pollution, ecology, clean air, air quality, climate
- earth scienceearthquake, geology, volcano, crust, eruption
- ecologyhabitat, ecosystem, balance, niche, food webs
- ecosystemecosystem, ecosystems, habitat, food chain, food web
- ecosystemsrainforest, forest, desert, jungle, ocean
biospheredead zone
Area lacking signal coverage
sterile environment · lunar surface · vacuum of space · deep space · the void
biospherelithosphere
Crust plus upper mantle
geosphere · hydrosphere · atmosphere · cryosphere · asthenosphere
biospherebuilt environment
Human-created physical surroundings
urban sprawl · industrial zone · concrete jungle · cybersphere · cyberspace