The Biosphere (Edexcel GCSE Geography A)
Revision Note
Written by: Jacque Cartwright
Reviewed by: Bridgette Barrett
Biosphere Resources
The biosphere is important for providing resources for people
Resources of the Biosphere
Resource | Example |
|---|---|
Food | Fish and meat Fruit, berries, and nuts provide sustainable harvests of food Natural vegetation can be replaced with crops of wheat, rice, etc. |
Medicine | Vitamin C in citrus fruit prevents scurvy Lichens stop blood loss from cuts Willow bark provides aspirin to treat pain Aloe vera plants soothe skin conditions |
Building Materials | Timber Straw for roofing and insulation Animal dung mixed with clay and straw to make bricks Clay, stone, cement, marble, etc. for building |
Fuel | Fermenting crops like sugar cane to produce bioethanol Trees and shrubs for burning Animal dung is dried and burned Peat is dried and burned |
Exploitation of the Biosphere
The biosphere is exploited for commercial gain, including:
Mineral resources
Water
Energy
The scale of biosphere exploitation is increasing as technology and demand increase
Impacts of Exploitation on the Biosphere
Resource | Exploitation |
|---|---|
Mineral Extraction | Large areas of land are cleared, destroying natural habitats that provide resources for local people Chemicals used in the extraction process are waste products and end up polluting water systems and habitats |
Water | The increased demand on water resources by agriculture, industry and urban areas means there is less water in the biosphere for other areas, such as wetlands Plants and animals do not have enough water to survive in the biosphere |
Energy | Population growth and development increase demand for energy resources The production of biofuels reduces the amount of land available for local people to grow crops Large areas of land are flooded for large-scale HEP schemes Fossil fuel extraction comes with a high risk of biosphere pollution and has a negative impact on health of local people Pipelines from oil exploitation damage the permafrost in tundra regions Pollution and groundwater contamination result from fracking for shale gas |
Examiner Tips and Tricks
You need to have an overall awareness of how much we depend on the biosphere for things we use on a daily basis and how, if we are not careful, these resources may be exploited to the point where it is not sustainable to continue using them.
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