Hydrosphere Rising by Philip J. Rutherford

Eutrophication caused by the release of fertilizers and sewage into water storage areas has caused aquatic environments to be artificially enriched with nutrients. Water pollution, river damming, wetland drainage, climate change, and irrigation have all changed the hydrosphere. In recent history humans have drastically changed the hydrosphere.

Glacial water: Water that melts off of glaciers.

Ground water: Fresh water held beneath ground makes up a small portion of the fresh water on Earth.

Surface water: Surface sources of freshwater include lakes, rivers, and streams.

Fresh water: Fresh water is much less abundant than salt water, and is held in a variety of different places.

Oceans: Most of the water on the planet Earth is salt water, and the vast majority of this salt water is held in the oceans.

Because of this, there is an extensive list of formations that make up the hydrosphere. This image summarizes the hydrosphere cycle Īny water storage area on the Earth that holds liquid water is considered to be a part of the hydrosphere. Thus a delicate balance is needed for healthy ecosystems that surround different components of the hydrosphere.įigure 2. For example, too much sediment is harmful to the surrounding ecosystems, while insufficient levels of dissolved oxygen in the water lead to hypoxic conditions that can harm ecosystems.

Some of these can be considered pollution, while others are necessary for health of ecosystems. It is important to note that although the hydrosphere is primarily composed of water, there are also some 'impurities' or additions to this water that include dissolved minerals, dissolved gases, and particulates. The exchanging of water is thus a vital part of the hydrosphere. The continuous movement and exchange of water helps to form currents that move warm water from the tropics to the poles and help regulate the temperature of the Earth. The motion of the hydrosphere and the exchange of water between the hydrosphere and cryosphere is the basis of the hydrologic cycle. Overall, the hydrosphere is very large, with the oceans alone covering about 71% of the surface area of Earth. The hydrosphere includes water storage areas such as oceans, seas, lakes, ponds, rivers, and streams. The hydrosphere is the component of the Earth that is composed of all liquid water found on the planet. The spring shown above would be considered part of the hydrosphere.

Hydrosphere Rising by Philip J. Rutherford