Ekosfera

Ekosfera is a term used in ecology to describe the global system of living organisms and the environments they inhabit. It includes the biosphere—the sum of all ecosystems on Earth—and the surrounding physical media: atmosphere, hydrosphere, and lithosphere. The ekosfera encompasses the processes that sustain life, such as energy capture by photosynthesis, transfer of energy through food webs, and cycling of nutrients like carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorus.

Within the ekosfera, ecosystems vary greatly in size and organization, from microhabitats to vast biogeochemical cycles. They are characterized by interactions among organisms and between organisms and their physical environment, governed by energy flow and matter cycling. Producers, consumers, and decomposers form food webs, while nutrient cycles maintain system productivity over time.

Ecosystem services provided by the ekosfera include provisioning services (food, water, medicine), regulating services (climate regulation, flood control, disease management), supporting services (pollination, soil formation, nutrient cycling), and cultural services (recreation, aesthetics, inspiration). These services support human well-being and the stability of natural systems.

Human activity affects the ekosfera through habitat alteration, pollution, overexploitation, invasive species, and climate change. Protecting and restoring ecosystems, reducing emissions, sustainable resource use, and conservation initiatives are central to maintaining the health and resilience of the ekosfera.

Related concepts include the biosphere and the ecosphere. Some scientific perspectives also emphasize the Earth as a coherent, self-regulating system, a view popularized by Gaia-inspired hypotheses, which connect the ekosfera to broader planetary processes.