3 2 The Biosphere is a Vital System

3. 2 The Biosphere is a Vital System What do I need to know? How the biosphere provides resources for people (food, medicine, building materials and fuel resources) but is also increasingly exploited commercially for energy, water and mineral resources.

THE BIOSPHERE AS A VITAL SYSTEM LO: TO BE ABLE TO EXPLAIN HOW THE BIOSPHERE ACTS AS A LIFE SUPPORT SYSTEM PROVIDING GOODS AND SERVICES

The biosphere acts as a life support system As you can see everything is connected together- draw your own simplified version of this diagram

KEY FACTS: For plants to grow, they need: Lots of dead leaves and animals

THE NUTRIENT CYCLE There are 3 stores and many different processes within the nutrient cycle. Tasks 1. Draw the nutrient cycle and define the processes to show nutrients get into or leave the cycle. 2. Describe how nutrients move around the cycle.

THERE ARE DIFFERENT VARIATIONS OF THE NUTRIENT CYCLE. How have these nutrient cycles changed for the tropical rainforest and deciduous woodland? What does this mean for the number of nutrients in each store and each process?

ECOSYSTEMS PROVIDE US WITH GOODS AND SERVICES Something that you can see, touch or use. Paper, wood, phone… Something that you cannot see or touch but you can use. NHS, Education…

What goods can this ecosystem provide us with?

What goods does a biosphere provide us with? Quinine from bark has been used as a painkiller and malaria treatment Periwinkle plant is used to treat leukaemia Natural plants can be replaced with crops like wheat and rice Fish and meat are part of the biosphere Food Medicin e Vitamin C is vital for health and is found in oranges Fruits, berries and nuts are produced by trees and plants Raw materials Wood pulp makes paper Timber for building In Hong Kong bamboo is used for scaffolding Rubber comes from trees and makes tyres

Biosphere and people: the biosphere provides humans with a wide range of goods. Food Medicines Raw Materials Using the diagram, fill in this table of information showing how humans use the biosphere

What services can this ecosystem provide us with?

SERVICES There are 3 groups of ecosystem services: Regulation Ecosystems regulate: • air we breathe, • water via the water cycle which includes water purification. • Disease and pests • Natural hazards such as floods. Support Ecosystems support services that are necessary for the production of all other ecosystem services: • Soil formation • Photosynthesis • Nutrient cycling • Water cycling Culture The benefits people get from ecosystems: Recreation Experience of landscape and wildlife. Remember – They are not free, just because they do not ‘co anything, do not think they are free.

Regulation Ecosystems regulate: • air we breathe, • water via the water cycle which includes water purification. • Disease and pests • Natural hazards such as floods.

Support Ecosystems support : • Soil formation • Photosynthesis • Nutrient cycling • Water cycling

Culture The benefits people get from ecosystems: • Recreation • Experience of landscape and wildlife.

ECOSYSTEM SERVICES Rank these services into order of importance. List them in your books Maintaining the water cycle 1 Cleansing the water 2 Pollinating crops and other 4 important plants Maintaining soil health Absorbing and detoxifying pollutants 7 Providing beauty, inspiration, and recreation 5 8 Maintaining 3 atmospheric gases (O 2 – CO 2) Storing essential nutrients for vegetation 6 9 Preventing natural disasters

How is the biosphere dependent on soils, the atmosphere and water?

Look back at your diagram and answer the following questions in your book 1. How is the biosphere affected by the atmosphere? 2. What do trees and plants help stop? 3. What are nutrients? 4. What do dead leaves do to the soil?

Burrowing insects are vital for allowing the air to circulate in the soil! Healthy soils require lots of nutrients. These come from dead leaves and dead rotting plants.

So how does this all work together? Draw your own version of this and label it

NOW FOR THE TECHNICAL BIT P. F. Gersmehl (1976) developed this geographical !!!! model 1. You need to draw and learn this geographical model. 2. You have 30 seconds to remember what you can about the model, and 1 minute to draw. 3. Then another 30 seconds remembering and 1 minute to draw, until you have drawn the diagram in 5 minutes.

KEY POINTS: Make a note of the key points 1. Biomes are world- scale ecosystems 2. The distribution is determined largely by climate, plus local factors 3. The biosphere acts as a life support system providing goods and services 4. Everything works together as a system – the nutrient cycle proves how 5. Human impact on the biosphere is growing in terms of species extinction and climate change