Geosphere
• Geosphere: The solid mass of the earth.
• The geosphere is that part of Earth upon which humans live and from
which they extract most of their food, minerals, and fuel
• Interactions between the geosphere, biosphere, atmosphere,
hydrosphere, anthrosphere are important
The Geosphere
Atmosphere/Geosphere Interaction
• Global Warming: Carbon dioxide causes global warming,
drought harmful to geosphere
• Affects atmosphere by fraction of incoming solar
radiation reflected
• Affects hydrosphere by degree of water infiltration to
groundwater
• Acidification: Acid rain acidifies soil, releases toxic Al
• Soil is especially important as a medium for plant
growth
Anthrosphere/Geosphere Interaction
• Human activities greatly affect the geosphere
• cultivation of crops and the associated washing away
of topsoil
• Strip mining
• Waste generation
Drought results in salinisation
Strip mining
The Geosphere
Geosphere/Hydrsophere Interaction
• Surface alteration affect rainfall infiltration
• Can lead to groundwater depletion
• Which then affects the other spheres.
• Subsurface alteration can affect the
anthrosphere
• Hydrofracturing for natural gas production
Geosphere/Biosphere Interaction
• Large areas losing their capacity to retain water
and support plant growth.
• Desertification
what are the test questions will be asked for the above information given
1. What is the geosphere and why is it important to humans?
2. How does carbon dioxide contribute to global warming and drought, impacting the geosphere?
3. What are some human activities that negatively affect the geosphere?
4. How does surface alteration affect rainfall infiltration and groundwater depletion in the geosphere?
5. Explain the concept of desertification and how it relates to the interaction between the geosphere and biosphere.