What field of study examines the interactions between the Earth's biosphere and lithosphere?

The field of study that examines the interactions between the Earth's biosphere and lithosphere is biogeology. Biogeology focuses on how biological processes, such as the activities of living organisms, influence and alter geological systems. It looks at topics such as how plants and microbes affect soil formation, how organisms impact rock weathering, and how the dynamics of life and the physical earth interact over time.

In contrast, geomorphology primarily deals with the formation and changes of landforms on the Earth's surface, largely focusing on physical processes rather than biological ones. Hydrology is concerned with the distribution, movement, and properties of water in the Earth's systems, which does not specifically address the interactions between the biosphere and lithosphere. While ecology studies the relationships between organisms and their environments, it encompasses broader interactions that include the biosphere without specifically focusing on the lithosphere and its geological components. Thus, biogeology uniquely captures the essence of the interaction between the biosphere and lithosphere.