"Natural force" redirects here. For the music album, see Natural Force.

Land management has preserved the natural

characteristics of Hopetoun Falls, Australia while allowing ample access for visitors.

An image of the Sahara Desert from satellite. It is

the world's largest hot desert and third-largest desert after the polar deserts.

The natural environment or natural world encompasses all biotic and abiotic things
occurring naturally, meaning in this case not artificial. The term is most often applied
to Earth or some parts of Earth. This environment encompasses the interaction of all
living species, climate, weather and natural resources that affect human survival and
economic activity.[1] The concept of the natural environment can be distinguished as
components:

 Complete ecological units that function as natural systems without massive

civilized human intervention, including all
vegetation, microorganisms, soil, rocks, plateaus, mountains,
the atmosphere and natural phenomena that occur within their boundaries and
their nature.

 Universal natural resources and physical phenomena that lack clear-cut

boundaries, such as air, water and climate, as well as energy, radiation, electric
charge and magnetism, not originating from civilized human actions.

In contrast to the natural environment is the built environment. Built environments are
where humans have fundamentally transformed landscapes such as urban settings and
agricultural land conversion, the natural environment is greatly changed into a
simplified human environment. Even acts which seem less extreme, such as building a
mud hut or a photovoltaic system in the desert, the modified environment becomes an
artificial one. Though many animals build things to provide a better environment for
themselves, they are not human, hence beaver dams and the works of mound-building
termites are thought of as natural.

There are no absolutely natural environments on Earth. Naturalness usually varies in a

continuum, from 100% natural in one extreme to 0% natural in the other. The massive
environmental changes of humanity in the Anthropocene have fundamentally affected
all natural environments including: climate change, biodiversity loss and pollution
from plastic and other chemicals in the air and water. More precisely, we can consider
the different aspects or components of an environment, and see that their degree of
naturalness is not uniform.[2] If, for instance, we take an agricultural field, and consider
the mineralogic composition and the structure of its soil, we will find that whereas the
first is quite similar to that of an undisturbed forest soil, the structure is quite different.

Composition

Main article: Earth science

Earth's layered structure: (1) inner core; (2) outer

core; (3) lower mantle; (4) upper mantle; (5) lithosphere; (6) crust

Earth science generally recognizes four spheres, the lithosphere, the hydrosphere,
the atmosphere and the biosphere[3] as correspondent
to rocks, water, air and life respectively. Some scientists include as part of the spheres
of the Earth, the cryosphere (corresponding to ice) as a distinct portion of the
hydrosphere, as well as the pedosphere (to soil) as an active and intermixed sphere.
Earth science (also known as geoscience, the geographical sciences or the Earth
Sciences), is an all-embracing term for the sciences related to the planet Earth.[4] There
are four major disciplines in earth sciences,
namely geography, geology, geophysics and geodesy. These major disciplines
use physics, chemistry, biology, chronology and mathematics to build a qualitative and
quantitative understanding of the principal areas or spheres of Earth.
Geological activity

Main article: Geology

The Earth's crust or lithosphere, is the outermost solid surface of the planet and is
chemically, physically and mechanically different from underlying mantle. It has been
generated greatly by igneous processes in which magma cools and solidifies to form
solid rock. Beneath the lithosphere lies the mantle which is heated by
the decay of radioactive elements. The mantle though solid is in a state
of rheic convection. This convection process causes the lithospheric plates to move,
albeit slowly. The resulting process is known as plate tectonics. Volcanoes result
primarily from the melting of subducted crust material or of rising mantle at mid-
ocean ridges and mantle plumes.

Water on Earth

Coral reefs have significant marine biodiversity.

Most water is found in various kinds of natural body of water.

Oceans

Main article: Ocean

An ocean is a major body of saline water and a component of the hydrosphere.

Approximately 71% of the surface of the Earth (an area of some 362 million square
kilometers) is covered by ocean, a continuous body of water that is customarily
divided into several principal oceans and smaller seas. More than half of this area is
over 3,000 meters (9,800 ft) deep. Average oceanic salinity is around 35 parts per
thousand (ppt) (3.5%), and nearly all seawater has a salinity in the range of 30 to 38
ppt. Though generally recognized as several separate oceans, these waters comprise
one global, interconnected body of salt water often referred to as the World Ocean or
global ocean.[5][6] The deep seabeds are more than half the Earth's surface, and are
among the least-modified natural environments. The major oceanic divisions are
defined in part by the continents, various archipelagos and other criteria, these
divisions are, in descending order of size, the Pacific Ocean, the Atlantic Ocean,
the Indian Ocean, the Southern Ocean and the Arctic Ocean.

Rivers

Main article: River

Further information: Stream

A river is a natural watercourse,[7] usually freshwater, flowing toward an ocean, a lake,

a sea or another river. A few rivers simply flow into the ground and dry up completely
without reaching another body of water.

Rocky stream in the U.S. state of Hawaii

The water in a river is usually in a channel, made up of a stream bed between banks. In
larger rivers there is often also a wider floodplain shaped by waters over-topping the
channel. Flood plains may be very wide in relation to the size of the river channel.
Rivers are a part of the hydrological cycle. Water within a river is generally collected
from precipitation through surface runoff, groundwater recharge, springs and the
release of water stored in glaciers and snowpacks.

Small rivers may also be called by several other names, including stream, creek and
brook. Their current is confined within a bed and stream banks. Streams play an
important corridor role in connecting fragmented habitats and thus in
conserving biodiversity. The study of streams and waterways in general is known
as surface hydrology.[8]

Lakes
 Lácar Lake, of glacial origin, in
the province of Neuquén, Argentina

Main article: Lake

A lake (from Latin lacus) is a terrain feature, a body of water that is localized to the
bottom of basin. A body of water is considered a lake when it is inland, is not part of
an ocean and is larger and deeper than a pond.[9][10]

A swamp area in Everglades National

Park, Florida, U.S.

Natural lakes on Earth are generally found in mountainous areas, rift zones and areas
with ongoing or recent glaciation. Other lakes are found in endorheic basins or along
the courses of mature rivers. In some parts of the world, there are many lakes because
of chaotic drainage patterns left over from the last ice age. All lakes are temporary
over geologic time scales, as they will slowly fill in with sediments or spill out of the
basin containing them.

Ponds

Main article: Pond

A pond is a body of standing water, either natural or human-made, that is usually

smaller than a lake. A wide variety of human-made bodies of water are classified as
ponds, including water gardens designed for aesthetic ornamentation, fish
ponds designed for commercial fish breeding and solar ponds designed to store
thermal energy. Ponds and lakes are distinguished from streams by their current speed.
While currents in streams are easily observed, ponds and lakes possess thermally
driven micro-currents and moderate wind-driven currents. These features distinguish a
pond from many other aquatic terrain features, such as stream pools and tide pools.

Human impact on water

Humans impact the water in different ways such as modifying rivers

(through dams and stream channelization), urbanization and deforestation. These
impact lake levels, groundwater conditions, water pollution, thermal pollution,
and marine pollution. Humans modify rivers by using direct channel manipulation.
[11]
We build dams and reservoirs and manipulate the direction of the rivers and water
path. Dams can usefully create reservoirs and hydroelectric power. However,
reservoirs and dams may negatively impact the environment and wildlife. Dams stop
fish migration and the movement of organisms downstream. Urbanization affects the
environment because of deforestation and changing lake levels, groundwater
conditions, etc. Deforestation and urbanization go hand in hand. Deforestation may
cause flooding, declining stream flow and changes in riverside vegetation. The
changing vegetation occurs because when trees cannot get adequate water they start to
deteriorate, leading to a decreased food supply for the wildlife in an area.[11]

Atmosphere, climate and weather

Atmospheric gases scatter blue light more than

other wavelengths, creating a blue halo when seen from space.

A view of Earth's troposphere from an airplane

 Lightning is an atmospheric discharge
of electricity accompanied by thunder, which occurs during thunderstorms and certain
other natural conditions.[12]

The atmosphere of the Earth serves as a key factor in sustaining the planetary
ecosystem. The thin layer of gases that envelops the Earth is held in place by the
planet's gravity. Dry air consists of 78% nitrogen, 21% oxygen, 1% argon, inert
gases and carbon dioxide. The remaining gases are often referred to as trace gases.
[13]
The atmosphere includes greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide,
methane, nitrous oxide and ozone. Filtered air includes trace amounts of many
other chemical compounds. Air also contains a variable amount of water
vapor and suspensions of water droplets and ice crystals seen as clouds. Many natural
substances may be present in tiny amounts in an unfiltered air sample,
including dust, pollen and spores, sea spray, volcanic ash and meteoroids. Various
industrial pollutants also may be present, such as chlorine (elementary or in chlorine
compounds), fluorine compounds, elemental mercury, and sulfur compounds such
as sulfur dioxide (SO2).

The ozone layer of the Earth's atmosphere plays an important role in reducing the
amount of ultraviolet (UV) radiation that reaches the surface. As DNA is readily
damaged by UV light, this serves to protect life at the surface. The atmosphere also
retains heat during the night, thereby reducing the daily temperature extremes.

Layers of the atmosphere

Main article: Earth's atmosphere

Principal layers

Earth's atmosphere can be divided into five main layers. These layers are mainly
determined by whether temperature increases or decreases with altitude. From highest
to lowest, these layers are:
  Exosphere: The outermost layer of Earth's atmosphere extends from the
exobase upward, mainly composed of hydrogen and helium.

 Thermosphere: The top of the thermosphere is the bottom of the exosphere,

called the exobase. Its height varies with solar activity and ranges from about
350–800 km (220–500 mi; 1,150,000–2,620,000 ft). The International Space
Station orbits in this layer, between 320 and 380 km (200 and 240 mi). In
another way, the thermosphere is Earth's second highest atmospheric layer,
extending from approximately 260,000 feet at the mesopause to the
thermopause at altitudes ranging from 1,600,000 to 3,300,000 feet.[14]

 Mesosphere: The mesosphere extends from the stratopause to 80–85 km (50–

53 mi; 262,000–279,000 ft). It is the layer where most meteors burn up upon
entering the atmosphere.[15][16]

 Stratosphere: The stratosphere extends from the tropopause to about 51 km

(32 mi; 167,000 ft). The stratopause, which is the boundary between the
stratosphere and mesosphere, typically is at 50 to 55 km (31 to 34 mi; 164,000
to 180,000 ft).

 Troposphere: The troposphere begins at the surface and extends to between

7 km (23,000 ft) at the poles and 17 km (56,000 ft) at the equator, with some
variation due to weather. The troposphere is mostly heated by transfer of energy
from the surface, so on average the lowest part of the troposphere is warmest
and temperature decreases with altitude. The tropopause is the boundary
between the troposphere and stratosphere.

Other layers

Within the five principal layers determined by temperature there are several layers
determined by other properties.

 The ozone layer is contained within the stratosphere. It is mainly located in the
lower portion of the stratosphere from about 15–35 km (9.3–21.7 mi; 49,000–
115,000 ft), though the thickness varies seasonally and geographically. About
90% of the ozone in our atmosphere is contained in the stratosphere.

 The ionosphere: The part of the atmosphere that is ionized by solar radiation,
stretches from 50 to 1,000 km (31 to 621 mi; 160,000 to 3,280,000 ft) and
typically overlaps both the exosphere and the thermosphere. It forms the inner
edge of the magnetosphere.
  The homosphere and heterosphere: The homosphere includes the troposphere,
stratosphere and mesosphere. The upper part of the heterosphere is composed
almost completely of hydrogen, the lightest element.

 The planetary boundary layer is the part of the troposphere that is nearest the
Earth's surface and is directly affected by it, mainly through turbulent diffusion.

Effects of global warming

The retreat of glaciers since 1850 of Aletsch

Glacier in the Swiss Alps (situation in 1979, 1991 and 2002), due to global warming

Main article: Effects of global warming

The dangers of global warming are being increasingly studied by a wide global
consortium of scientists.[17] These scientists are increasingly concerned about the
potential long-term effects of global warming on our natural environment and on the
planet. Of particular concern is how climate change and global warming caused
by anthropogenic, or human-made releases of greenhouse gases, most notably carbon
dioxide, can act interactively and have adverse effects upon the planet, its natural
environment and humans' existence. It is clear the planet is warming, and warming
rapidly. This is due to the greenhouse effect, which is caused by greenhouse gases,
which trap heat inside the Earth's atmosphere because of their more complex
molecular structure which allows them to vibrate and in turn trap heat and release it
back towards the Earth.[18] This warming is also responsible for the extinction of
natural habitats, which in turn leads to a reduction in wildlife population. The most
recent report from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (the group of the
leading climate scientists in the world) concluded that the earth will warm anywhere
from 2.7 to almost 11 degrees Fahrenheit (1.5 to 6 degrees Celsius) between 1990 and
2100.[19] Efforts have been increasingly focused on the mitigation of greenhouse gases
that are causing climatic changes, on developing adaptative strategies to global
warming, to assist humans, other animal, and plant species, ecosystems, regions
and nations in adjusting to the effects of global warming. Some examples of recent
collaboration to address climate change and global warming include:
 Another view of the Aletsch Glacier in the Swiss
Alps, which because of global warming has been decreasing

 The United Nations Framework Convention Treaty and convention on Climate

Change, to stabilize greenhouse gas concentrations in the atmosphere at a level
that would prevent dangerous anthropogenic interference with the climate
system.[20]

 The Kyoto Protocol, which is the protocol to the international Framework

Convention on Climate Change treaty, again with the objective of reducing
greenhouse gases in an effort to prevent anthropogenic climate change.[21]

 The Western Climate Initiative, to identify, evaluate, and implement collective

and cooperative ways to reduce greenhouse gases in the region, focusing on a
market-based cap-and-trade system.[22]

A significantly profound challenge is to identify the natural environmental dynamics in

contrast to environmental changes not within natural variances. A common solution is
to adapt a static view neglecting natural variances to exist. Methodologically, this view
could be defended when looking at processes which change slowly and short time
series, while the problem arrives when fast processes turns essential in the object of
the study.

Climate

Worldwide climate classifications map

Main article: Climate

Climate looks at the statistics of temperature, humidity, atmospheric
pressure, wind, rainfall, atmospheric particle count and other meteorological elements
in a given region over long periods of time.[23] Weather, on the other hand, is the
present condition of these same elements over periods up to two weeks.[23]

Climates can be classified according to the average and typical ranges of different
variables, most commonly temperature and precipitation. The most commonly used
classification scheme is the one originally developed by Wladimir Köppen.
The Thornthwaite system,[24] in use since 1948, uses evapotranspiration as well as
temperature and precipitation information to study animal species diversity and the
potential impacts of climate changes.[25]

Weather

A rainbow is
an optical and meteorological phenomenon that causes a spectrum of light to appear in
the sky when the Sun shines onto droplets of moisture in the Earth's atmosphere.

Main article: Weather

Weather is a set of all the phenomena occurring in a given atmospheric area at a

given time.[26] Most weather phenomena occur in the troposphere,[27][28] just below
the stratosphere. Weather refers, generally, to day-to-day temperature and precipitation
activity, whereas climate is the term for the average atmospheric conditions over
longer periods of time.[29] When used without qualification, weather is understood to
be the weather of Earth.

Weather occurs due to density (temperature and moisture) differences between one
place and another. These differences can occur due to the sun angle at any particular
spot, which varies by latitude from the tropics. The strong temperature contrast
between polar and tropical air gives rise to the jet stream. Weather systems in the mid-
latitudes, such as extratropical cyclones, are caused by instabilities of the jet stream
flow. Because the Earth's axis is tilted relative to its orbital plane, sunlight is incident
at different angles at different times of the year. On the Earth's surface, temperatures
usually range ±40 °C (100 °F to −40 °F) annually. Over thousands of years, changes in
the Earth's orbit have affected the amount and distribution of solar energy received by
the Earth and influenced long-term climate.

Surface temperature differences in turn cause pressure differences. Higher altitudes are
cooler than lower altitudes due to differences in compressional heating. Weather
forecasting is the application of science and technology to predict the state of the
atmosphere for a future time and a given location. The atmosphere is a chaotic system,
and small changes to one part of the system can grow to have large effects on the
system as a whole. Human attempts to control the weather have occurred throughout
human history, and there is evidence that civilized human activity such
as agriculture and industry has inadvertently modified weather patterns.

Life