Earth system science
[1][2][3][4] In particular, it considers interactions and 'feedbacks', through material and energy fluxes, between the Earth's sub-systems' cycles, processes and "spheres"—atmosphere, hydrosphere, cryosphere,[5] geosphere, pedosphere, lithosphere, biosphere,[6] and even the magnetosphere[7]—as well as the impact of human societies on these components.
It seeks a deeper understanding of the physical, chemical, biological and human interactions that determine the past, current and future states of the Earth.
Earth System science provides a physical basis for understanding the world in which we live and upon which humankind seeks to achieve sustainability".
In many respects, the foundational concepts of Earth System science can be seen in the natural philosophy 19th century geographer Alexander von Humboldt.
[23] In the 20th century, Vladimir Vernadsky (1863–1945) saw the functioning of the biosphere as a geological force generating a dynamic disequilibrium, which in turn promoted the diversity of life.
In parallel, the field of systems science was developing across numerous other scientific fields, driven in part by the increasing availability and power of computers, and leading to the development of climate models that began to allow the detailed and interacting simulations of the Earth's weather and climate.
[28]: 1450 It represents the average weather, typically over a period of 30 years, and is determined by a combination of processes, such as ocean currents and wind patterns.
2 in an ecosystem . As systems biology , systems ecology seeks a holistic view of the interactions and transactions within and between biological and ecological systems.
