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biosphere

Global sum of all ecosystems

Also known as life zone

Instance of: geographic envelope
Subclass of: region of space
Part of: Earth

Overview

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia · Read full article · Text CC BY-SA 4.0

The biosphere, also called the ecosphere, is the worldwide sum of all ecosystems. It can also be termed the zone of life on the Earth. The biosphere is virtually a closed system with regard to matter, with minimal inputs and outputs. Regarding energy, it is an open system, with photosynthesis capturing solar energy at a rate of around 100 terawatts. By the most general biophysiological definition, the biosphere is the global ecological system integrating all living beings and their relationships, including their interaction with the elements of the lithosphere, cryosphere, hydrosphere, and atmosphere. The biosphere is postulated to have evolved, beginning with a process of biopoiesis or biogenesis, at least some 3.5 billion years ago.

Overview

All data

63 statements · 19% with external sources · numbers in brackets are citations

Members / parts: biogeocenosis
Earthling
ecosphere
forest
human
Studied by: biospherology
global change biology
environmental science
Has characteristic: sustainability
Different from: artificial biosphere

On other databases

49 identifiers linking biosphere across the web's reference databases

Data quality

statements

19%

externally sourced

Source last edited July 17, 2026. AIDB refreshes this page daily.

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AIDB. (2026). biosphere (Q42762). Retrieved from https://aidb.si/e/biosphere-Q42762