1. SYSTEM - A set of interconnected components that are interacting to form a unified whole.

2. 3. EXAMPLE of a system- ECOSYSTEM. (Organisms are interrelated and interacting)

3. 4. The Earth system is essentially a CLOSED SYSTEM. A closed system is a system in which there is only
an exchange of heat or energy and no exchange of matter. The Earth receives energy from the sun and
returns some of this energy to space.
4. Lithosphere are mostly composed of rocks and soil, in what areas in Antique rocks are mostly dangerous
and not safe? 2) What do you think is the role of the atmosphere to the continuation of life on Earth? 3) How
does living things interact with each other? 4) Fincer is a marine conservationist, he notice that most people
in Pandan are not aware of how important Bugang River is to their livelihood, what advices do you think
Fincer will do to Save Bugang River? 5) What is the role of the photosynthesis in the Biosphere process?

5. Earth’s land makes up the

geosphere.

6.
7. Geo means “earth.” The Earth’s geosphere (sometimes called the lithosphere) is the portion
of the earth that includes rocks and minerals. It starts at the ground and extends all the way
down to Earth’s core.
8. We rely on the geosphere to provide natural resources and a place to grow food. Volcanos,
mountain ranges, and deserts are all part of the geosphere. Put simply, without the
geosphere, there would be no Earth!

9. Earth’s water makes up the

hydrosphere.
10.
11.Hydro means “water.“ The hydrosphere includes the oceans, rivers, lakes, groundwater, and
water frozen in glaciers. 97% of water on Earth is found in the oceans. Water is one of the
most important substances needed for life and makes up about 90% of living things. Without
water, life would not be possible.

12. Earth’s air makes up the

atmosphere.

13.
14.Atmos means “air.” The atmosphere includes all the gases surrounding the Earth. We often
call the atmosphere “air.” All planets have an atmosphere, but Earth is the only planet with
the correct combination of gases to support life.
15.The atmosphere consists of five layers and is responsible for Earth’s weather. Even though it
seems like air is made of nothing, it consists of particles too small to be seen. All these
particles have weight that push down on Earth. The weight of air above us is called air
pressure.

16. Earth’s living things make up the

biosphere.
17.
18.Bio means “life.” The biosphere is made up of all the living things on Earth and it includes
fish, birds, plants, and even people.
19.The living portion of the Earth interacts with all the other spheres. Living things need water
(hydrosphere), chemicals from the atmosphere, and nutrients gained by eating things in the
biosphere.

20. The four spheres interact.

21.
22.The spheres interact to effect Earth’s systems and processes, and they are constantly
changing each other.
23.For example, ocean currents (hydrosphere) affect air temperature (atmosphere): The Gulf
Stream is a powerful water current in the Atlantic Ocean. It’s warm water moderates the
temperatures on the east coast of the USA.
24.Another example of how the spheres affect each other is through erosion. Erosion happens in
the desert when wind (atmosphere) shapes the sand in the geosphere. Water (hydrosphere)
can also shape land, such as in the formation of the Grand Canyon.

25. Humans can have major impacts on

all the spheres.
 26.
27.Humans have a huge impact on all spheres. Negative impacts, such as burning fossil fuels,
pollute the atmosphere. Piling up our waste in landfills affects the geosphere. Pumping waste
into the oceans harms the hydrosphere. And overfishing and habitat destruction can reduce
the diversity of living things in the biosphere.
28.However, people everywhere are working to change things. Recycling efforts are increasing
all over the world, and companies are finding new ways to reduce fossil fuels. In the US
alone, people are recycling six times more than a generation ago.

•What will happen if one of the subsystems was removed?

Biosphere is made up of lithosphere, hydrosphere, and air. ... If one of the
component will be removed from the biosphere then life will not exists on earth and
humans will not exist. Life will not be there

•How does the geosphere interact with other spheres?

The Geosphere interacts and affects other earth spheres in different forms. For instance, during a
volcanoes (an event that occurs in the Geosphere) large particles of matter is emitted into the
atmosphere. ... Rainfall (Hydrosphere) often increases after a volcanic eruption, which stimulates
plant growth (Biosphere).

How do the Earth's spheres interact?

All the spheres in the system interconnect and overlap. No sphere works on its own. 

Consider this diagram below.

Think of the many ways that the hydrosphere and the atmosphere connect. Evaporation from the
hydrosphere provides the medium for cloud and rain formation in the atmosphere. The atmosphere
brings back rainwater to the hydrosphere.

In what way do the geosphere and hydrosphere connect? Water provides the moisture and
medium for weathering and erosion of rocks on in the geosphere. The geosphere, in turn, provides
the platform for ice melts and water bodies to flow back into the oceans.

The atmosphere provides the geosphere with heat and energy needed for rock breakdown and
erosion. The geosphere, in turn, reflects the sun's energy back into the atmosphere.

The biosphere receives gases, heat, and sunlight (energy) from the atmosphere. It receives water
from the hydrosphere and a living medium from the geosphere.

Think of the many ways in which each sphere interacts with the other and discuss it with your class.
Introduction to Earth System

When you think of the Earth, what comes to mind? Water, trees, animals, winds, rocks and so on,
right? Yes, all that is part of the planet we call Earth. 

In the diagram below, we can see some examples of the things that make up the earth.

ATMOSPHERE: Air (made up of many gases) 

HYDROSPHERE: Sea, lagoon, ice-sheets and ice-caps, rainwater, etc
BIOSPHERE: Fish, trees and other life forms
GEOSPHERE: Rocks, mountains, sediments on the sea floor, etc

Earth is made up of all these things and are grouped into four main areas called spheres. These
spheres are not static, that means they are constantly changing. For example, the atmosphere does
not produce the same weather everyday. We experience the wind, rain or sunshine differently every
day. Living things such as animals are also born, whiles older ones die. Deep down the earth, there is
molten magma (melted rock) that can be spewed put in the form of lava during volcanic eruptions.
Sometimes, there are seismic movements in the earth's crust which causes changes on the surface of
the earth. So, you can see that there is always something going on in all the parts of the earth. It is
a dynamic earth.

What is a system?
A system is a term used for any complex whole, with smaller connected
parts working together. Usually, a change or malfunction of one part can
affect other parts of the system, and also affect the system itself.

The Earth is a system too. It has four major parts all connected and working
in harmony to make the planet function properly. These four parts are called
Spheres. They are the Atmosphere, Geosphere, Biosphere, and
Hydrosphere. Some studies also have the cryosphere (ice and snow) and
anthroposphere (man-made objects and processes), but for this lesson, we
shall focus on the four parts. Each sphere has its own function and it is constantly changing in a
process called Cycles.

What is a Cycle?
A cycle is something that never stops. It has no beginning and has no end. An example is the water
cycle, where the water goes through a basic journey: rains fall and end up in rivers, rivers end in the
sea, sea water evaporates and forms rain clouds, and the rains fall again. Other important cycles
include the carbon cycle, rock cycle, and nitrogen cycle. 
The Hydrosphere
The hydrosphere includes all the water parts on the planet. It includes water on the surface, sub-
surface and water vapour in the atmosphere. The hydrosphere and the atmosphere are known as
the fluid spheres.These spheres are the liquid and gas components of the earth. 

QUESTION: 
Water vapor from the oceans is gas but also water. Which sphere does water vapor belong:
Atmosphere or Hydrosphere? Discuss with your class.

Think of all the water in the oceans and seas, including all the frozen water and ice (cryosphere).
Also think of all the lakes, lagoons, rivers and ponds, as well as water in the water table beneath the
surface of the earth. They are all part of the hydrosphere and together they cover more than 70% of
the surface of the earth.

The hydrosphere is also in infinite processes every day. The water cycle is one way to understand
how the hydrosphere functions and supports other spheres.

Consider the illustration below: 

The oceans and water bodies absorb the sun's energy and warm up. Transpiration by trees and
Evaporation of surface water occurs. The water vapor in the atmosphere condenses (condensation) to
form rain clouds and comes down as rain (precipitation). The rains fall back on land and into water
bodies (run-off) again and they all run back into the ocean for the cycle to continue.

A complete water cycle takes time. Other spheres are impacted in many ways during the water cycle.

The Geosphere
This sphere includes all the stuff that make up the crust and the core of the earth. It includes
everything natural and lifeless that make up the surface of the earth. 
Examples are all the rocks and sand particles from dry land to those found at the bottom of the
oceans. They also include the mountains, minerals, lava and molten magma from beneath the earth’s
crust.

The geosphere undergoes infinite processes constantly and that, in turn, modifies other spheres. One
example of the continuous process is the rock cycle.

Consider the rock cycle illustration below:

In the rock cycle, melted rock from below the earth’s crust is spewed out through vents on the
surface onto the surface of the earth. This is also called lava. Solidified lava, together with other rock
material from earth movements are weathered and eroded. The eroded particles end up somewhere
and build up. After many years of buildup, pressure from the overlying weight causes the particles to
modify itself again. They are further buried deeper in the crust and then melted again by intense
heat until they are spewed out to the surface again.

In this cycle, you will notice that it can take thousands of years for the cycle to complete, but every
single day has a role to play. You will also notice that the cycle does not complete on its own. It is
influenced by other factors such as water, temperature, and wind, which also belong to other
spheres.

The Biosphere

Consider the illustration below:

The biosphere is all living components of the earth (humans, plants, animals, bacteria, fungi, protists
and all microscopic organisms on land, in the air and in the oceans). It also includes all organic
matter that has not yet decomposed. This living part is hugely dependent on the other three
spheres. 

The hydrosphere provides moisture or water to plants and animals, the geosphere provides the solid
surface on which animals and plants grow and also provides heat from beneath the earth. 

The atmosphere provides the gasses (nitrogen, oxygen and carbon dioxide) needed by living things.
The atmosphere also provides the screen from the sun’s UV radiation and helps us receive just
enough of the sun's heat. 

It is believed that the biosphere is exclusive to earth alone. Scientists believe there are traces of
water, rock, and gases on other planets, but no life has been found yet. Humans are exploring other
planets to see if this idea is correct.

The interaction of the biosphere with other spheres can be explained better by a theory known
as Ecosystems.

The Atmosphere
The atmosphere is the gaseous component above the surface of the earth. This sphere is also a fluid
sphere (the other fluid sphere is hydrosphere). The atmosphere is made up of gases and tiny water
particles. The gases surrounding the earth are kept in place by the force of gravity.

The atmosphere is a mixture of gases: Nitrogen (78%) and Oxygen (21%), make up the most. There
is also Argon, Carbon Dioxide and Aerosols (particles such as dust, pollen, ash, smoke). These gases
are super important to life on earth because plants and animals depend on them to live. 

The atmosphere is sustained by energy from the sun. When the sun shines, heat is radiated to the
earth’s surface and reflected back into the atmosphere. The heat also warms the surface of the earth
and causes evaporation, thereby sending moisture into the atmosphere. Thunderstorms, hurricanes,
lightning and tornadoes are all processes of the atmosphere.
Layers of the atmosphere
Consider the illustration below: 

The atmosphere comes in layers. The troposphere is the layer closest to the surface. It extends
about 10km  above sea level. Humans and plants live in this layer. Airplanes and birds also fly in
this layer. As the layers go higher, the air becomes thinner. The other layers include the stratosphere
(50km above sea level), mesosphere (85km above sea level), thermosphere (above 500km above
sea level) and exosphere. 
Beyond the exosphere is space.

Symbiotic Relationship

In our ecosystem lesson, we learned about the wonderful relationship between living things and their
environment. Particularly, we learned that abiotic factors (physical or non-living factors) are a key
part of ecosystems. But there would be no ecosystem without the biotic factors (living things). For
living things to continue existing, they need to interact among their own species, and with each other
species to find food, shelter, space, and so on. In this lesson, we will look at interactions among
biotic factors (living things) in an ecosystem.
Many living things depend on each other (same species), or other living things (different species) to
survive. Sometimes these relationships can be temporal or permanent. These relationships could be
partnerships with animal species, plants and also with microorganisms. 

Symbiosis
The biological word for different species of organisms living closely together in order to survive
is Symbiosis. Note that symbiosis refers to relationships between species in which at least one
member of the relationship benefits. In short, Symbiosis means “Living Together”
 
Whenever two living things or species live together in a symbiotic partnership, five things may
happen:

Both parties can benefit from the partnership.

One party can benefit whiles the other does not care or not harmed.
One party benefits at the expense of the other (the other loses or is harmed).
One party targets and consumes the other party
Both parties may compete for limited resources to survive
 
The biological terms to describe all five symbiotic scenarios are Mutualism, Commensalism,
Parasitism, Predation, and Competition. 
 
Now we shall look at Mutualism as a Symbiotic Relationship.

What is Mutualism as a Symbiotic Relationship?

Mutualism is a symbiotic relationship between two species in which both species benefit. It is
important to note that a relationship can be physical or non-physical. 
 
One great example of mutualism is between the Shrimp Goby Fish and the Pistol Shrimp. It probably
got its name from its relationship with the shrimp. These two species are best friends and live at the
bottom of the water body. Pistol shrimp is partly blind, so it stays close to the goby fish, who has
great eyesight. When there is danger approaching, the goby fish signals to the shrimp with its tail,
then they all retreat to shrimps burrow, where they hide and eat until the threat is no more.
 
In the example above, both species benefit from each other.
The act of pollination is another good example of mutualism as a symbiotic relationship. Think of
honey bees and cedar glade flowers as another example. The flowers produce nectar for the bees.
When the bees visit and enjoy the nectar, the bees return the favor by spreading the pollens of the
flowers around for pollination to occur. Both the bees and the flowers benefit from this relationship.

What is Commensalism as a Symbiotic Relationship?

Commensalism is a symbiotic relationship between two species in which one species benefits and the
other is neither helped nor harmed to any tangible degree.
 
One good example of a commensalism relationship are epiphytes that grow on larger trees for
support. Epiphytes include species like ferns or orchids. They can grow on larger trees, using them as
a surface or support, but the trees are not hurt in any way. 
 
Another example of this relationship include barnacles on a humpback whale. 

Barnacles are small sea organisms, often confused for a mollusk. They attach themselves to larger
sea animals including the humpback whale. They use the large body of the whale as a surface and
filter feed on them, but the whales are not harmed in any way. A closer look at the skin of a whale
will show textures and patches — this would often be a colony of barnacles attached to the whale's
body.

What is Parasitism as a Symbiotic Relationship?

Parasitism is a symbiotic relationship in which one species (the parasite) benefits while the other
species (the host) is harmed in a significant way. Parasitic activities are very common in animal
species. Parasites may live on the body or inside of the host. 
 
One good example of this relationship is the roundworm (parasite) that lives in the intestines of
mammals such as cats, dogs, and humans. Because these parasites live inside the body, they feed
on the inside of the host and can cause all sorts of trouble for the host, including abdominal pain,
anemia and sometimes death. Parasites that live inside of the host are known as endoparasites.

Illustration of flea and tick

commonly found on dogs and cats.

Lice, fleas, and ticks are examples of parasites that live on the skin of the host, such as a dog. They
are known as ectoparasites. They attach themselves to the skin of the host and feed on its blood.
This can severely harm the host, by causing diseases such as Lyme disease or Rocky Mountain
spotted fever.
 
Parasitism can be often seen as a kind of predation. The difference between parasitism and predation
is that the parasite's host is seldom killed outright — the host may live on for a long time. Generally,
predators are physically dominant in terms of strength and size. Parasites (both ectoparasites and
endoparasites) and often much smaller than their host.

What is Predation?

Predation is a symbiotic relationship in which one species survives on costuming the other species.
The species that consume or win is the predator and the species that is eaten up is the prey.

 
We spotted this bird at the beach filling its tummy with some kind of shell organisms. Which one is the
predator? Which one is the prey?
There is usually a natural balance in the populations and relationships between predators and prey.
More prey means more food for the predators, more energy and therefore more offsprings. More
offsprings mean more consumption of the prey, hence reduction in the number of prey populations.
Fewer prey populations mean less food for the predator, and hence predator populations suffer or
reduce.
 
In many cases, predatory animals that prey on other animals end the lives of the prey. For example,
a lion will hunt for an antelope or another animal and eat them. The predator (lion) benefits while the
prey (antelope) is consumed. These predators are known as carnivores, which means meat-eating
organisms.
 
Predators do not always end the lives of their prey. One example of this is known as herbivory.
Herbivory involves animals (predators) that eat plants, seeds, fruits or roots (prey). When herbivores
eat plants, they often do not kill the plant immediately but may damage them. The plants have a
chance to grow back. 
 
It is possible for some predator species to consume their own species. This behavior is known as
cannibalism.

Competition in a Symbiotic Relationship

Competition is a relationship between organisms that compete or strive for the same resources in the
same place and at the same time. This kind of relationship can exist among organisms of the same
species (Intraspecific Competition). It can also occur among organisms from different
species (Interspecific Competition).
 
Competition among organisms could be for food, water, space or mates at the same time and place.
This can result in a conflict, forcing the weaker organism, or the organism with less adaptation to
suffer, leave or become extinct.
 
One example of a competition relationship is the fight for sunlight and water in a location with a
dense tree or plant population. Trees that are taller get more sunlight and starve low-level plants of
sunlight. The result is that the lower level trees do not do as well as the dominant, taller trees. 
 
Other examples of two organisms competing include male birds of the same species competing for a
mate. Sometimes, this can end in a fight, and the winner wins the mate.