The Hydrosphere

• Water is the most abundant substance at the surface of the earth
• Hydrosphere is the enormous volume of water, in its various manifestations, that forms discontinuous layer, enclosing much of the terrestrial surface
• The hydrologic cycle is also called the water cycle
• Hydrologic cycle is driven by solar energy, surface waters evaporate into the atmosphere, condense and fall back to earth as precipitation, shaping continents, creating rivers, and filling lakes
• Most of the hydrosphere is salt water at around 97% and the rest 3% are fresh water
• fresh water is critical for freshwater and terrestrial species
• Global warming is responsible for more extreme precipitation events like the current timing and patterns of rainfall distribution
• Global warming is a phenomenon that impacts biodiversity and the Earth system as a whole