The biogeosciences are a rapidly expanding field, and for this reason the full scope of possible topics falling under this heading is not always recognized. The biogeosciences cover all fields of the biological sciences and their interactions with the relevant Earth spheres (i.e. atmosphere, hydrosphere, lithosphere), and are studied over a wide range of temporal and spatial scales. While interdisciplinary work has been recognized for many years, it is recommended that all biogeosciences studies should ultimately strive to understand process operation and feedbacks, and in doing so a common ground to approaches of study can be defined. The notion of multidisciplinary versus interdisciplinary research is considered herein. It is by following an approach of explanation-based science that the complex interplay of biological and environmental processes can be understood best. Understanding of system behaviour and functioning should be a core goal of biogeosciences research. This review offers a proposed classification and summary of the full range of topics falling under the umbrella of the biogeosciences, and in doing so sets the stage for a future series of progress reports focusing on recent developments in the biogeosciences.
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