The Earth System

Connections among the great spheres

Why should we discuss the Earth System?

Before we delve into the connection between

geology, health, and forensics, we must gain an
appreciation of the connections and interactions
between Earth’s main components.

Both medical geology, and forensic geology,

deal with our interaction with Earth processes.
But it is also important to appreciate how Earth
processes interact with each other. By doing
this, we can maintain a broad perspective of our
relationship to Earth.
This Island Earth

About 4.5 billion years old

Geologically dynamic
internally and externally

Only planet presently

known to support life
As far as life is concerned:
“Goldilocks of the Solar
System” (relative to Sun,
not too far, not too close,
just right !)

A closed system !
 Earth As A Closed System

Closed system: exchange of energy but negligible

exchange of mass with surroundings
 Earth’s Four Spheres

Geosphere: Comprises the solid Earth and includes

both Earth’s surface and the various layers of the
Earth's interior.

Atmosphere: Gaseous envelope that surrounds the

Earth and constitutes the transition between its surface
and the vacuum of space

Hydrosphere: Includes all water on Earth (including

surface water and groundwater)

Biosphere: The life zone of the Earth and includes all

living organisms, and all organic matter that has not
yet decomposed.
The Earth’s Four Spheres
 Geosphere (Solid Earth)

• 94 % percent of the earth

is composed of the
elements oxygen and silicon
(combined as the compound
silica [silicon oxide: SiO2]),
iron and magnesium

• Interior of the earth is

layered both chemically and
mechanically.
 Earth’s Layers: Composition and Mechanical Characteristics
Composition Physical Characteristics
crust Primarily silica
lithosphere brittle solid
plus light solid (but
asthenosphere
metallic nearly
elements liquid)

mantle
mesosphere solid
Primarily
silica plus
iron and
magnesium

outer core liquid

Primarily iron
core and nickel
inner core solid

Note: Lithosphere contains both crust and uppermost (brittle) layer of mantle
 The dynamic geosphere

Earth 200 million years ago to present

The geosphere is not static. Due to movement of material within

Earth, the lithosphere (Earth’s brittle outer shell) is broken into plates
that are in a constant state of motion (plate tectonics).

The movement of plates is indicated by continental drift.

Geosphere: Interactions with other Earth System components

Atmosphere: volcanism spews significant amounts of gases

into the atmosphere. For example, volcanoes inject large
amounts of sulphur dioxide to the upper atmosphere, resulting
in global cooling.

Hydrosphere: The formation of many minerals involve

incorporation or release of water. Also, water speeds up
chemical reactions that produce or destroy minerals, and aids
in the melting of rock.

Biosphere: Nutrients released from rocks during their

breakdown are dissolved in water (to be used by aquatic
plants).
 Atmosphere
• consists of a mixture of gases composed primarily of
nitrogen, oxygen, carbon dioxide, and water vapour
•The mesosphere,
thermosphere, and
exosphere are zones of
diffuse atmospheric
components in the far
reaches of the
atmosphere.

The stratosphere
(10 to 50 km),
•The troposphere (0-10 contains ozone that
km) constitutes the protects life on the
climate system that planet by filtering
maintains the conditions harmful ultraviolet
suitable for life on the radiation from the
planet's surface. Sun.
Atmosphere: Interactions with other Earth System components

Hydrosphere: The gases of the atmosphere readily exchange

with those dissolved in water bodies (e.g. oceans, lakes, etc.)

Biosphere: The atmosphere supplies oxygen and carbon

dioxide that form the basis of life processes (photosynthesis
and respiration).

Geosphere: Gases in the atmosphere react with water to

produce weak acids that aid in the breakdown of rock.
 Hydrosphere
• Abundance of liquid water on Earth makes it distinct from other
bodies in the solar system (71% of the earth covered by water)

• It is because the Earth has just the right mass, the right
chemical composition, the right atmosphere, and is the right
distance from the Sun (the "Goldilocks" principle) that permits
water to exist mainly as a liquid.

• Range of surface temperatures and pressures of our planet

permit water to exist in all three states: solid (ice), liquid (water),
and gas (water vapour).

• Even so, most of the water is contained in the oceans and the
high heat capacity of this large volume of water buffers the Earth
surface from large temperature changes
Subcomponents of hydrosphere are
connected via the hydrologic cycle
Hydrosphere: Interactions with other Earth System components

Atmosphere: Water is transferred between the hydrosphere

and biosphere by evaporation and precipitation. Energy is
also exchanged in this process.

Biosphere: Water is necessary for the transport of nutrients

and waste products in organisms.

Geosphere: Water is the primary agent for the chemical and

mechanical breakdown of rock (weathering), to form loose
rock fragments and soil, and sculpts the surface of the
Earth.
 Biosphere

• Life evolved on earth during its early history by at least

3.5 billion years ago and the biosphere readily
distinguishes our planet from all others in the solar
system (as far as we know)

•The chemical reactions of life (e.g., photosynthesis-

respiration, precipitation of minerals in skeletons, etc.)
have also imparted a strong signal on the chemical
composition of the atmosphere through time. For
example, our oxygen-rich atmosphere is largely a
product of photosynthesis.
Biosphere: Interactions with other Earth System components

Atmosphere: Life processes involve many chemical reactions

which either extract or emit gases to and from the
atmosphere (e.g. photosynthesis consumes carbon dioxide
and releases oxygen, whereas respiration does the
opposite).

Hydrosphere: Evaporation of water from leaf surfaces

(transpiration) transfers water to the atmosphere.

Geosphere: The biosphere is connected to the geosphere

through soils (mixtures of air, mineral matter, organic matter,
and water). Plant activity (e.g. root growth and organic acid
production) are also for the mechanical and chemical
breakdown of the rocks.
 Just how integrated is the Earth System?

James Lovelock (1979) introduced a somewhat extreme

concept called the Gaia Hypothesis

Proposed that Earth functions as a single super organism that

maintains conditions necessary for its survival.

Inherent in explanation is the idea that the biosphere,

atmosphere, geosphere and hydrosphere are in a delicate
balance – that a homeostatic condition is maintained

Analogous to how processes within the human body insure

that temperature, blood pH, electrochemistry, etc. are kept in
balance for our survival.
In an extreme sense, the inner workings of Gaia could be
viewed as a study of the physiology of the Earth where
water is the Earth’s “blood,” the atmosphere is the Earth’s
lungs, the geosphere is the Earth’s “solid tissues,” and
living organisms are the Earth’s “senses”.
BUT…
…while Earth is probably not a sentient being as Lovelock
implies, the Gaia Hypothesis does underscore the
importance of looking at Earth processes as interconnected
parts of a larger system

As a closed system, Earth’s processes adjust to

disturbances in the system to maintain balance
 Where Do Humans Fit In ?

As components of the biosphere, humans are temporary

receptacles of the matter and energy that flows through
the Earth System

“You are what you eat, drink, and breathe”

Human health is, to some degree, a function of how this

flow of matter and energy flows through, and interacts
with, the human body

In many cases, problems of human health are

fundamentally linked to the natural distribution of Earth
materials
The Bottom Line

Considerations on how processes within the Earth System

interact are extremely important in the understanding of
the real world !

Understanding physical and chemical processes in the

Earth System is as important as understanding
biological entities in terms of understanding biological
systems (all are connected)