Biosphere Evolution and Threats

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Table of Contents

Abstract
Definition
Segments of the biosphere
Factors that cause threat to the biosphere
Sustainability
Summary of accepted position on causes of climate change
References

Abstract

The evolution of biosphere can be postulated to have started from a simple process known as biopoesis (which refers to the creation or derivation of life from nonliving organic matter to complex process also known as biogenesis) or through creation of life by the process of interactions with living matter. This process is said to have begun about 3.5 billion years ago. During this time, the earliest forms of the biosphere existed without life. The most common forms of organism found during this time were the prokaryotes that were single-celled living things. They did not depend on oxygen for survival.

Definition

Biosphere can be defined as that part of the earth that can support life and exist as a close system. It can also be termed as the ecological system that is composed of living organisms and their interactions with components such as atmosphere, lithosphere and even hydrosphere.

Segments of the biosphere

The biosphere extrapolates from the root structures of trees, ocean troughs up to mountain tops. Scientists draw and define life in segments of spheres. The biosphere, however, overlaps between all the spheres that include the lithosphere, which is found on the surface of the earth.

Factors that cause threat to the biosphere

There are many global crises that play role in the transformation of the biosphere from good to worse. Such interactive factors include exponential population growth on earth, climate change, depletion of renewable sources of energy, ecological overshoot among others. The biosphere is affected by these factors listed above. At the same time, due to imbalance, such factors are also affected by the biosphere because of their proximity to the tipping point. Sadly, if tipping point is arrived at, the effects of the above factors on the biosphere can lead to an irreversible process.

During the industrial revolution, for example, greenhouse emissions started changing the atmosphere leading to the melting of glaciers. However, people are presently opting for alternative sources of energy like the solar.

Apparently, due to exponential population growth, there is great strain on the ecological factors. The rapid increase of human beings on earth has augmented competition for resources with other organism; hence, causing damage to the biosphere. The damage is evident even in the way deforestation is taking place.

Suffice it to say, ecological overshoot is a factor that is almost going out of hand. This is due to the fact that the rate at which human population is growing far surpasses the necessary resources for survival thereby exceeding the regenerative potential of the biosphere (Wilson & Sasseville, 1999).

Sustainability

Sustainability can be used as an ecological term to mean a process through which biological systems endure, interact and even remain prolific through diversification. Due to current ecological concern, sustainability has been redefined in economics to include even resilience, the social wellbeing and adaptation in relation to politics, ecology, culture, economics, equity aspect and even environmental resilience. This is vital as far as environmental sustainability is concerned. If not taken into consideration, future implications of environmental sustainability will be worse and will lead to what is commonly known as intergenerational inequity (DesJardins, 2007).

Biosphere Worksheet

Threats	Business practices	Alternatives
Food	Large scale production of food in large tracts of land for commercial purpose has increased competition for earth’s resources such as water and food sources for other living organisms. This has led to depletion of the biosphere.	Utilization of small space for agricultural production can be an alternative method of conservation of the biosphere.
Water	Industrial wastes are often channeled in water bodies. This cause water pollution which in turn affect the biosphere.	The industrial wastes can be recycled in order to minimize emission of harmful materials in the atmosphere.
Energy	Most industries depend on energy such as fossils and nuclear fuel for production purposes. Continued use of such sources of energy is disastrous to the biosphere.	Adoption of alternative sources of energy such as wind and solar can help reduce depletion of the biosphere.
Pollution	Emission of toxic chemicals and metals into the atmosphere causes pollution.	Regulating emissions through adoption of modern technology reduces biosphere depletion.
Species	Overfishing by fish industries poses a threat to biodiversity through creating an imbalance in the ecosystem.	Regulating the amount of fish supply reduces threat to biodiversity.
Atmosphere	Emission of gaseous products into the atmosphere causes global warming.	Conducting an assessment to know how much carbon emission goes to the atmosphere in order to adopt carbon capping.
Ecological disaster	Practices such as oil spills are hazardous to the biosphere.	Conducting thorough inspection for leaks and damages on equipment before using them.

Summary of accepted position on causes of climate change

Majority of scientists largely accept the fact that the major cause of global warming is increased greenhouse effect fueled by mankind. There are some opposing facts based on this argument. For example, there are some geoscientists who strongly believe that nature is the major cause of global warming and that global warming is a natural process that will not pose serious threat to the future generation.

In my opinion, I disagree with the second school of thought since human activities such as deforestation speak volumes to the current state of global warming.

References

DesJardins, J. (2007). Business, ethics, and the environment: Imagining a sustainable future. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson. Web.

Wilson, W., & Sasseville, D. (1999). Sustaining environmental management success: Best business practices from industry. Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons. Web.

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