Erdsystem

Erdsystem is the global, interconnected network of physical, chemical, and biological processes that determine the Earth's state and its evolution. It encompasses the atmosphere, hydrosphere, lithosphere, biosphere, and cryosphere, whose exchanges of energy and matter drive climate, weather, and the conditions for life. The Earth system is energized by solar radiation and internal heat, and its behavior is shaped by feedbacks among components, such as how atmospheric CO2 regulates temperature and how vegetation influences carbon and water cycles.

Core processes include the water cycle, the carbon cycle, the nitrogen and phosphorus cycles, and biogeochemical interactions across interfaces. The biosphere—organisms from microbes to forests—affects weathering, gas exchange, and nutrient turnover, while the cryosphere and oceans modulate climate through heat storage and albedo. The geosphere contributes via volcanic activity, plate tectonics, and soil formation, altering nutrient availability and long-term climate.

Humans are now an integral part of the Erdsystem, with land-use changes, fossil fuel use, emissions, pollution, and technology altering energy and material flows. This shift contributes to rapid climate change, biodiversity loss, and resource stress, reinforcing the idea of the Anthropocene.

Researchers study the Earth system with integrated models that couple atmosphere, oceans, land, and ice. Such Earth system models support climate projections, assess risks, and inform policy, while reflecting uncertainties in complex, nonlinear interactions.