4 Characteristics of the biosphere

What is the biosphere and its function

The biosphere is the layer that contains all living beings, along with the functions they perform. The term comes from the Greek bios (life) and sphaira (sphere), which is understood as the sphere of life. Underneath it, all ecosystems that exist, from seafarers to terrestrial and air.

The biosphere has the function of grouping up all life, and being a man-made term, it helps us to better understand and categorize our planet.

Characteristics of the biosphere

To better understand this term, we present the characteristics of the biosphere:

• It is irregular: since the biosphere is composed of several ecosystems, it is not uniform. Soil reliefs vary from place to place, as do deeps and water concentrations.
• It is interdependent: it is not isolated, but all components are interrelated to complete their functions.
• It is a closed system: all interactions occur within the biosphere and all matter is concentrated within it.
• Self-regulating: being a closed system, the biosphere has the ability to maintain a balance.