The anthroposphere (from Greek anthropos for man) comprises all parts of the Earth system that are significantly influenced by man.
Although in a strict sense it is a part of the biosphere, it is often treated separately. This is well justified by numerous peculiarities of man compared to other species, but mainly by the enormous impact human activities have on almost all parts of the Earth system. Man has adapted large parts of Earth according to his needs. From agricultural land used by indigenous people to the megacities of the industrialized parts of the world the anthroposphere covers a wide spectrum of different landscapes.
The anthroposphere plays an increasingly important role in Earth system, shifting the relations between the spheres as well as changing the balance. The consequences can be seen e.g. in the changing climate. For a sustainable future it will be important to reduce this destructive impact that at the end hits back.
Themes
- My home region viewed from space
- Land use and land use change – from local to global
- Settlement patterns – from villages to megacities
- Urbanisation – urban development and urban sprawl
- Regional development and Land reclamation
- Energy – the traditional approach and renewable sources
- Traffic
- Industry – from production to service
- Globalized economy – sources and targets of products
- Politics – patterns of borders, conflicts and migratgion
- Cultural heritage – human achievements
