The Concept of the Earth’s Surface as the Home of Man
The Earth is the third planet from the Sun. For now the earth is the only astronomical object that harbors human life. The Earth interacts with other objects in space especially the Sun and Moon which act as natural satellites to it. The Earth revolves round the Sun in 365.25 days.
The Earth is surrounded by the atmosphere, oceans or hydrosphere and the lithosphere. The wind, water and ice around the planet shape it. This set up is important and significant for life on earth.
Life first appeared in the oceans in the first billion years of the Earth’s history. Life in whatever form has undergone changes in many forms from one evolutionary stage to another.
This makes the Earth a dynamic planet. Historically, over 99% of all species that ever lived on earth are extinct.
Humans depend on the biosphere for survival. From the point of creation, Adam and Eve were kept in the Garden of Eden and lived a vegetarian life.
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As at today, many humans are partially or wholly vegetarian (that is, they do not eat meat but depend only on vegetables as their sources of proteins and vitamins). This supports the view that life is dependent on the biosphere.
Felling of trees for ornamental works, construction of houses and bridges are a few examples of the support biosphere has given to the development of the society in the bid to make man be at home in his environment.
The biosphere has thus sustained man economically and made him comfortable. This interaction however leads to sculpturing takes place with the felling of trees and consequent disruption and destruction of the biodiversity.
Agricultural activities involving provide food necessary to sustain the home. Extraction of metal and non-metal minerals from the earth has led to the development of the land vested with them.
In conclusion, environmental geoscience is the study of the earth particularly the interrelationships between the lithosphere, hydrosphere and biosphere. The earth is the third planet. It is surrounded by the atmosphere and the hydrosphere.
In it is the biosphere which is sustained by the lithosphere/geosphere. Farming, mining, tree felling, urbanization, use of chemical fertilizers and weathering and erosion of the rocks/soils act together or individually to sculpture the surface of the earth which man uses.
Environmental geoscience is both multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary between the physical sciences. It is the sum total of physical and chemical activities in a place at a particular time.
Man has acted in many ways such as tree felling, agricultural activities, mining and urbanization to sculpture the surface of the earth. The various agencies of change in the environment such as wind, water and ice interact to cause the deterioration of the environment by weathering and erosion.
