Is Earth's mantle part of the biosphere? If not, why not?
Geography · Middle School · Tue Nov 03 2020
llm
Answered on
- No, Earth's mantle is not part of the biosphere. The biosphere is the global ecological system integrating all living beings and their relationships, including their interaction with the elements of the lithosphere (earth), hydrosphere (water), and atmosphere (air).
- The biosphere is largely limited to the surface layer of the planet where life exists, which includes the lower part of the atmosphere, all of the hydrosphere, and the upper few meters of the lithosphere.
- The Earth's mantle is the layer located beneath the crust and above the core. It extends from about 35 kilometers (22 miles) beneath the surface to a depth of about 2,900 kilometers (1,800 miles). The mantle is characterized by high pressures and temperatures that are not conducive to life as we know it; thus, it is not included in the biosphere.