biosphere

Etymology

From bio- + -sphere, from German Biosphäre, coined by Austrian geologist Eduard Suess in 1875.

noun

1. The part of the Earth and its atmosphere capable of supporting life.
2. The totality of living organisms and their environment.
   Patavig is the second of the Macedon system's giant terrestrial planets, and by far the more interesting. Most of the surface is covered by a vast sea of liquid ammonia, in which a unique aquatic ammonia-based biosphere has developed. While the frozen continents are largely bereft of life, a rich bounty of complex organisms — many larger than a human — flourish in the chilly, toxic seas. 2008, BioWare, Mass Effect (Science Fiction), Redwood City: Electronic Arts, →OCLC, PC, scene: Patavig