The Biosphere Is the Foundation of Our Life: Functions, Threats, and Ways to Save the Planet

The biosphere is the part of Earth where life exists. In this system, living organisms constantly interact with air, water, and soils. The biosphere includes the lower layers of the atmosphere, the entire hydrosphere, and the upper layers of the lithosphere. Without the biosphere, our planet would not look the way we know it. There would be no oxygen in the air, no fertile soils, and no stable climate. Humans are fully dependent on this system, even if we often do not notice it.

Today, the pressure on Earth’s living shell is growing fast. The climate is changing, species are disappearing, and oceans and rivers are becoming polluted. To understand how serious these problems are, we first need to see how the biosphere works and which processes it supports every day.

What Does “The Biosphere Is the Planet’s Living Shell” Mean – A Simple Explanation

At school we all heard that the biosphere is the part of Earth where living organisms and the products of their activity are found. It does not fully coincide with any other Earth shell. It only partly overlaps with the atmosphere, hydrosphere, and lithosphere. In simple terms, the biosphere is the zone where life is possible. There is enough heat, water, and the necessary chemical elements. Organisms can breathe, feed, and reproduce there.

The vertical limits of this zone are quite wide. Life exists in the deep layers of the ocean. It is found in soils at depths of up to a kilometer. It is present in the lower layers of the atmosphere, where microorganisms live and spores are carried. But most life is concentrated near the land surface and in the upper layers of the ocean.

The biosphere is a system that:

• includes all living organisms
• includes their living environment
• provides constant exchange of matter and energy

That is why the biosphere is seen not as a background for life but as an independent object. It has its own structure, dynamics, and limits of stability.

Structure of the Biosphere: Living and Non-Living Components

The biosphere is a combination of living creatures and the non-living environment. Both parts are essential. Without organisms, cycles of matter would not work. Without water, air, and minerals, there would be no organisms at all.

Living Components of the Biosphere: Producers, Consumers, Decomposers

The living part of the biosphere is called living matter. It includes all organisms. For simplicity, they are divided into three large groups:

• The first group is producers. These are plants on land. These are algae and some bacteria in water. They create organic matter from inorganic substances. To do this, they use solar energy or chemical energy.
• The second group is consumers. These are animals. These are humans. These are some microorganisms. They cannot create organic matter on their own. They feed on plants or other animals.
• The third group is decomposers. These are fungi and many bacteria. They break down dead remains of plants and animals. They convert organic compounds into simple substances. Plants use these substances again.

The biosphere is a system in which these three groups form closed chains. Energy moves from producers to consumers and then to decomposers. Elements move in cycles. Because of this, life does not stop.

Non-Living Components of the Biosphere: Water, Air, Soils

The non-living part of the biosphere creates the environment for life. Here too there are several main elements:

• First, there is water. It is found in oceans, rivers, lakes, soils, and the atmosphere. No known form of life can exist without water.
• Second, there is air. The mix of gases allows breathing. Carbon dioxide is needed by plants. Oxygen is needed by most organisms.
• Third, there are soils. They contain minerals and organic remains. Many microorganisms live there. Soils are where the basis of harvests and natural ecosystems is formed.

Rocks and minerals are also important. They supply chemical elements. They shape the landscape. They affect water movement and the distribution of ecosystems. The biosphere is the unity of all these parts. If water or air quality changes, organisms suffer. If organisms disappear, the composition of water and air changes.

Levels of Life Organization in the Biosphere

The biosphere has many levels. It is convenient to describe it through several successive levels:

• Organism – a single living being
• Population – a group of organisms of the same species in a certain area
• Species – a set of similar populations
• Ecosystem – populations of different species plus their environment
• Biome – a large natural zone with a similar climate and type of vegetation
• Biosphere – the sum of all ecosystems and biomes on the planet

In this scheme, the biosphere is the top level. Changes at lower levels eventually rise upward. Mass extinction of species in different regions changes entire biomes. This then affects global processes.

Functions of the Biosphere: What It Does for Life

The biosphere is not just a “container” for life. It constantly performs many functions. These functions make the planet suitable for people and other species.

Gas Function – Maintaining the Composition of the Atmosphere

The gas function is linked to gas exchange between organisms and the air. During photosynthesis, plants and algae absorb carbon dioxide. They release oxygen. Animals, fungi, most bacteria, and humans breathe oxygen. They release carbon dioxide.

This creates a certain balance. It is not perfect, but for a long time it stayed fairly stable. The biosphere is the main regulator of this balance. When greenhouse gas emissions rise, the system changes. We can already see this in the rate of climate change.

Cycles of Matter – Closed Element Cycles

Another important function is maintaining cycles of matter. The biosphere is where water and elements repeatedly change form:

• Water evaporates from the surface of oceans and land. Then it falls as precipitation. Some water flows in rivers, some returns to the oceans, and some stays in soils.
• Carbon moves from the air into plants. Then into animals. Then back into the atmosphere through breathing and decomposition.
• Nitrogen from the air is turned by bacteria into compounds in the soil. Plants absorb them. Animals get nitrogen from food. After the remains decompose, it returns to the environment.

The biosphere is a system where dozens of such cycles work. Without them, supplies of elements in usable forms would quickly run out.

Energy Function – The Flow of Energy From the Sun

The biosphere is also a pathway for energy flow. Solar energy reaches the planet’s surface. Producer organisms fix it in organic matter. Consumers get this energy from food. Decomposers get it from dead remains. At each stage, part of the energy becomes heat.

Energy does not return to its original form. It flows in one direction. This is why ecosystems cannot have an endless number of “floors” in their food chains. The biosphere is a system with a limited number of levels, and this is a natural limit.

Protective and Stabilizing Functions of the Biosphere

The biosphere softens many fluctuations in the environment. Plant cover slows soil erosion. Forests hold moisture. They stabilize local and regional climates. Oceans store heat and dissolve part of the carbon dioxide. They influence weather and climate zones.

The biosphere is a natural “buffer”. It prevents the system from changing too sharply. But this buffer has limits. When the pressure grows too fast, stabilizing mechanisms stop working.

Humans and the Biosphere: Scale of Impact and Main Threats

Today the biosphere is a system that is most strongly affected by human activity. People change landscapes, the atmosphere, rivers, seas, and oceans. These changes are becoming global. The main types of impact are as follows:

• Land use change. People cut down forests. They plow up natural areas. They expand cities and transport networks.
• Pollution. Industry and transport release pollutants into the air. Farming adds pesticides and fertilizers to soils and water. Plastic and oil end up in the ocean.
• Changes in the atmosphere. Burning fuel increases the amount of greenhouse gases. This strengthens the greenhouse effect. The planet’s temperature rises.
• Overuse of resources. People catch fish faster than it can recover. They hunt rare animals. They use soils without giving them enough time to rest.

The biosphere can compensate for some of these impacts for a while. But today’s rate of change is too high. The consequences are already clearly visible:

• The climate is changing. Average temperatures are rising. Droughts, floods, and storms are becoming more frequent.
• Species are disappearing. Many populations are shrinking. Ecosystems are becoming simpler.
• Soil condition is worsening. Soils are losing fertility. They become more vulnerable to erosion.
• Freshwater shortages are increasing. Some rivers are shrinking. Water quality is falling.
• The amount of waste is growing. Plastic is building up in oceans and soils.

All this is not a set of separate stories. The biosphere is a single system, and these processes reinforce each other. For humans, the biosphere is not just a backdrop either. It is the source of food, water, air, and raw materials. It is also protection from extreme conditions.

Degradation of the biosphere affects health. Polluted air raises disease risks. Polluted water carries infections and toxic substances. It affects the economy. Harvests depend on soils and water. Infrastructure suffers from floods and heat. It affects security. People are forced to migrate because of droughts or floods. Competition for resources grows. So protecting the biosphere is not an abstract task. It is about decent living conditions for present and future generations.

How to Protect the Biosphere: Action at Different Levels

The biosphere is a system we all share. No country can protect only “its own” part of the planet. Coordinated action by governments, businesses, and citizens is needed. At the level of states and international organizations, the following steps are important:

• Creating national parks, nature reserves, and other protected areas.
• Adopting climate agreements and emission reduction programs.
• Limiting pollution of oceans and inland waters.
• Supporting the restoration of forests, wetlands, and coastal zones.

The biosphere is a global system, so international agreements play a key role. They set common rules. They help different countries coordinate their efforts.

Cities and businesses also have strong potential to drive change. Companies can reduce their energy use. They can switch to renewable sources. They can treat their emissions and wastewater. Cities can develop public transport. They can invest in walking and cycling infrastructure. They can expand green spaces. The biosphere is a direct beneficiary of these actions. But city residents benefit too. They get cleaner air, quieter streets, and more comfortable public spaces.

One person cannot change the whole system. But each of us can change our own footprint. When millions of people do this, the effect becomes significant. The possible steps are simple:

• Buying fewer unnecessary things.
• Choosing products with less packaging.
• Saving water and electricity at home.
• Sorting waste where this is possible.
• Choosing public transport instead of a car from time to time.
• Supporting nature conservation projects.

The biosphere responds to our total impact. That is why personal actions matter.

The Biosphere Is the Basis of Life and a Shared Responsibility

The biosphere is Earth’s living shell that includes all organisms and their environment. It maintains the composition of the air, keeps water and elements moving in cycles, stabilizes the climate, and forms fertile soils. Without these functions, life as we know it would be impossible.

Modern civilization puts strong pressure on this system. Climate change, loss of species, pollution, and soil degradation show that in many regions, the limits of stability are already close.

At the same time, humanity has the tools to reduce this pressure. The biosphere is not a passive object. It can recover if it gets time and space to do so. This is why thoughtful government decisions, responsible business actions, and new habits of millions of people are needed. Protecting the biosphere is not a “gift to nature”. It is a basic condition for our own survival and a decent life on the planet in the coming decades.

Answers to Common Questions About the Biosphere