1. Interaction of Earth’s Systems
Systems and Spheres

2. Earth’s Systems Receive inputs and produce outputs
Example: Gulf of Mexico
Receives input of freshwater, sediments, nutrients
Gulf outputs a harvest of shrimp and fish
The system output becomes input to the global economic system and digestive system of people consuming the fish

3. Feedback loops
A feedback loop occurs when an event is both an input and output in the same system
Can either be negative or positive
Negative: Stabilizes the system
If the wolf population (predator) decreases, the moose population (prey) will increase
Positive: Destabilizes the system
Clearing of plants will erode a stream bed which will increase water flow and further increase the stream bed

4. All Systems Interact!! Example #1: Albedo Effect and Climate Change
More Greenhouse gas (Atmosphere change) = Warmer Temperature
Polar ice caps melt (Hydrosphere change)
Darker color of ocean replaces white color of ice
Less radiation is reflected from Earth’s Surface
Positive Feedback Loop!!!

5. All Systems Interact!!! Example #2: Wolves change Rivers
Describe at least 3 interactions in the video.
Draw a picture of a feedback loop in the video

6. Write a one sentence analysis of the graph depicted below
Write a one sentence analysis of the graph depicted below. List one feedback loop created by the trend observed in the graph.

8. Layers of Atmosphere Troposphere: 0–11 km; movement of air, weather
Did You Know? The stratosphere and mesosphere are cold, but the upper thermosphere can be hotter than 1500°C.
Layers of Atmosphere
Troposphere: 0–11 km; movement of air, weather
Stratosphere: 11–50 km; ozone layer, absorbs and scatters UV rays
Mesosphere: 50–80 km; meteoroids burn up
Thermosphere: 80+ km; disturbances produce aurora borealis

9. Atmosphere Contains the gases that organisms need
Oxygen: needed for respiration
Ozone: needed to filter UV radiation
Greenhouse gases (CO2 and Methane): needed to keep Earth’s temperature warm enough to support life

10. Properties of the Atmosphere
Composition: 78% nitrogen, 21% oxygen, and 1% other gases (greenhouse gases)
Temperature: Varies with location (due to angle of sun and altitude)
Pressure: In general, air pressure decreases with altitude; can be measured using a barometer.

11. Hydrosphere Consists of Earth’s water
Most of Earth’s water (97.5%) is salt water.
Only 0.5% of Earth’s water is unfrozen fresh water usable for drinking or irrigation.
Frozen water is called the cryosphere
Earth’s available fresh water includes surface water and ground water. (Most is groundwater!)

12. Water Cycle

13. Relative Humidity
The ratio of water vapor in air to the maximum amount the same air could contain at the same temperature
Is affected by temperature and location; in general, warm air holds more water.
When air cools, water vapor may condense to liquid or to ice. Water vapor can only condense on surfaces, such as a petal or a dust particle.

14. Rocks
Naturally occurring solids made up of minerals and mineral-like materials
Three types: igneous, sedimentary, metamorphic
The rock cycle slowly changes rocks from one type to another through heating, melting, cooling, weathering, and erosion.

15. Types of Rocks
Igneous: Form when magma or lava cools and solidifies; can be intrusive or extrusive
Did You Know? In general, the more slowly igneous rock cools, the larger its crystals.

17. Types of Rocks Continued….
Sedimentary: Form when sediments cement together or when water evaporates and leaves behind minerals; can be clastic, chemical, or biochemical

20. Types of Rocks continued (again)….
Metamorphic: Form when heat or pressure changes the crystalline structure of existing rock

22. Video

23. Rocks make Soil!!
Soil is made up of minerals (from rock), organic matter (from decay), air, and water.

24. Soil Formation
Weathering: Physical and chemical breaking of rocks and minerals into smaller pieces
Erosion and deposition: Pick-up, transport, and drop-off of material from one place to another
Decomposition: Breakdown of waste, organisms, and organic material into simple molecules

25. Soil Horizons Soil horizons are distinct layers of soil.
A cross-section of soil horizons is a soil profile.

27. Biome Distribution

28. Biosphere
The part of Earth in which living and nonliving things interact
Biotic: Living
Abiotic: Non-living

29. Interactions of Geosphere/Lithosphere
Affected by each sphere…
Effects each sphere by…
Atmosphere: higher greenhouse gas composition will warm soils and increase decomposition rate
Hydrosphere: frost wedging weathers rock and helps to form soil
Biosphere: vegetation helps to decrease soil erosion and improve soil fertility
Atmosphere: Microbes in soil transform atmospheric nitrogen into nitrates; decomposition of organic materials in soil produces carbon dioxide and methane
Hydrosphere: runoff of sediment effects turbidity of streams and increases nutrient load
Biosphere: Increased rate of soil formation/fertility will increase the amount of plants which in turn will increase biodiversity