Activity 2.3 – Biosphere and Interconnections

This concept map links the connection of energy and the forms that it undergoes and how it is controlled by the laws of thermodynamics.

This concept map depicts how biodiversity is intertwined with the needs and welfare of humans and the stability and integrity of our ecosystems, and how biodiversity can help progresses in the medical and food industries through the study of it.

This concept map shows the complexity of biomes, and what each one of them entitles.

Everything in our world connects to it it is a complex system of organisms, plants, and animals that all inevitably lead back to each other. For instance, bio diversity allows there to be a a large variety of life in the world, and within the habitats and ecosystems around us. Through biodiversity we are able to progress within medical field by studying the complexities of nature, as well as make revelations in the food industry. Biodiversity itself can be separated into utilitarian value, and Intrinsic value.(Freedman, 2018) Utilitarian value is the food, bio materials and energy that is created through biodiversity which inevitably comes back to humans. Energy in itself cannot be created nor destroyed. Therefore, it is a true constant. Energy has many different forms which undergo different processes, where it can become more concentrated or less concentrated, which then cycles back into the atmosphere as heat. (Freedman, 2018) 

Biomes are large habitats that are divided up into five major types. The five major types of biomes are aquatic, grassland, Forest, desert, and tundra. Biomes are characterized by the vegetation soil, climate and wildlife that are present in these ecosystems for example, aquatic biomes include freshwater and marine. (Freedman, 2018) Freshwater, being lakes, ponds and rivers; Marine being oceans, call reef, and estuaries. The forest biome contains much of the worlds biodiversity, therefore, biomes are a large collection of the variety of biodiversity that surrounds us. The most basic connection between biomes energy and bio diversity are that biome is the collection of different ecosystems, which contain biodiversity and biodiversity is the collection of different species of animals and plants and other organisms that surround us that contain energy which is constantly being recycled and reused by humanity, and the earth itself through heat. 

References 

Freedman, B. (2018). Environmental Science [Review of Environmental Science]. Environmental Science [Review of Environmental Science]. edge://external-file/FREEDMAN_Environmental-Science.pdf