biosphere: Media
ecology
Videos
Why do these animals hibernate?
Plot twist: bears aren't true hibernators.
Video: Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.
How greenhouse gases affect Earth's climate
An overview of the role greenhouse gases play in modifying Earth's climate.
Video: Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.
The importance of nitrogen and phosphorus in ecosystems
An overview of the nitrogen and phosphorus cycles in the biosphere.
Video: Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.
Images
Earth's environmental spheres
Earth's environment includes the atmosphere, the hydrosphere, the lithosphere, and...
Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.
Earth's known living species
Figure 1: Estimated number of known living species. The majority of species are still...
Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.
ecosystem energy transfer
Figure 2: Transfer of energy through an ecosystem. At each trophic level only a small...
Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.
nitrogen cycle
The nitrogen cycle transforms diatomic nitrogen gas into ammonium, nitrate, and nitrite...
Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.
nitrogen fixation
Figure 6: (Right) The roots of an Austrian winter pea plant (Pisum sativum)...
(Left) Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.; (right) photograph, © John Kaprielian, The National Audubon Society Collection/Photo Researchers
energy exchange
Figure 7: Energy exchange between a terrestrial reptile and the environment.
Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.
osmotic regulation
Figure 8: Osmotic regulation in freshwater and marine teleost fish.
Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.
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