How the Carbon Cycle Helps Sustain Life on Earth

The steps of the carbon cycle and why they are so important? ♻️

Carbon is simply the pillar of every life form that exists on Earth – this is basically because it’s a necessity when creating complex molecules such as proteins and even DNA. This specific element is present in the atmosphere as carbon dioxide (CO₂). Carbon also aids in controlling the Earth’s temperature, makes life bearable, is also a primary element in the food that pushes us, and also offers a major source of energy that runs our global economy.

Besides, carbon is always stored in what you would describe as dams, and it travels across reservoirs in a wide range of processes that not only include photosynthesis, and combustible fuels but also exhaust air derived from the lungs.

What is the carbon cycle?

The carbon cycle explains the process of how carbon atoms constantly move from the atmosphere to the Earth and also vice versa. Due to the fact that planet Earth and its atmosphere build a closed environment, the levels of carbon across the globe remain nearly constant.

How does the carbon cycle work

The carbon cycle is basic for all life on Earth. Nature is always striving to keep its carbon footprint equal. This means that the level of carbon emitted naturally occurring in lakes is the same as that biologically taken in by dams. When the carbon levels are completely equal, then the planet can handle all living things.

Several scientists around the world believe that human activities have a profound effect on the world’s carbon footprint through burning fossil fuels that have escalated levels of carbon dioxide leading to climate change and also triggering global warming.

This gas is never in one place because it is constantly moving from one point to another so it is not stable. Besides, carbon is always stored in what you would describe as dams, and it travels across reservoirs in a wide range of processes that not only include photosynthesis, and combustible fuels but also exhaust air derived from the lungs.

When carbon is moved from one dam to another, this is called the carbon cycle. Carbon can always be kept in many types of dams not only for animals and plants. This is one of the reasons carbon life forms. Carbon is also utilized by plants to generate leaves and even stems that have been utilized by animals and are crucial for cell germination. As for the air, carbon is kept in gasses not limited to carbon dioxide. In addition, it is also stored in the oceans, absorbed by a number of marine species. There are also organisms that use carbon to build shells and skeletons; they include clams or even corals. The largest level of carbon dioxide found in the earth is kept in rocks, minerals, and even other sediment buried underground.

The steps of the carbon cycle

The carbon cycle is grouped as follows:

Entry of carbon into the atmosphere

Producers absorbing Carbon Dioxide

Moving Carbon compounds in the food chain

Taking back carbon to the atmosphere

Short term

Long term

Basic for life

Crucial for the maintenance of the balance in ecosystems

Below are the 5 known steps of the carbon cycle:

Carbon travels from the atmosphere all the way to plants

Carbon travels from plants to animals

Carbon travels from plants and animals to soils

Carbon travels from living things to the atmosphere

Carbon travels from fossil fuels to the atmosphere when the fuels are set ablaze

Carbon travels from the atmosphere to the oceans

Why the carbon cycle matters

Are you aware that global warming or climate change is simply due to the impacts of the heat-accumulating greenhouse gasses (GHGS) that are accumulating in the atmosphere? One of the most important GHGS is the carbon dioxide that apart from heating up the atmosphere, also heightens the levels of water vapor in the air.

Understanding and through a natural mechanism, through the carbon cycle, we can attempt to solve this particular problem. The carbon cycle involves processes where carbon is converted into a given form where it can be utilized by plants and even other living things through photosynthesis.

Why the carbon cycle is so important for soil health

By the use of photosynthesis, plants are capable of drawing carbon from the air to build carbon compounds. All the elements that the plant doesn’t need for their germination are then discarded through the roots to feed soil organisms where carbon is humidified or stabilized. Through this, carbon is the primary component of soil organic matter and aids it in retaining the water capacity, its structure, and even its general fertility.

Summary

Carbon is simply the pillar of every life form that exists on Earth – this is basically because it’s a necessity when creating complex molecules such as proteins and even DNA.

The carbon cycle explains the process of how carbon atoms constantly move from the atmosphere to the Earth and also vice versa. Due to the fact that planet Earth and its atmosphere build a closed environment, the levels of carbon across the globe remain nearly constant.

The carbon cycle is basic for all life on Earth. Nature is always striving to keep its carbon footprint equal. This signifies that the levels of carbon produced naturally occurring in lakes is the same as that biologically taken in by dams. When the carbon levels are completely equal, then the planet can handle all living things.

Understanding Global Change

While most of the Earth’s carbon can be found in the geosphere, carbon is found in all living things, soils, the ocean, and atmosphere. Carbon is the primary building block of life, including DNA, proteins, sugars and fats. One of the most important carbon compounds in the atmosphere is carbon dioxide (CO 2 ), while in rocks carbon is major component of limestone, coal, oil and gas. Carbon cycles through the atmosphere, biosphere, geosphere, and hydrosphere via processes that include photosynthesis , fire , the burning of fossil fuels , weathering , and volcanism . By understanding how human activities have altered the carbon cycle, we can explain many of the climate and ecosystem changes we are experiencing today, and why this rapid rate of change is largely unprecedented in the Earth’s history.

The carbon cycle is an essential part of How the Earth System Works. Click the image on the left to open the Understanding Global Change Infographic . Locate the carbon cycle icon and identify other Earth system processes and phenomena that cause changes to, or are affected by, the cycling of carbon.

What is the carbon cycle?

Carbon is transferred between the ocean, atmosphere, soil, and living things over time scales of hours to centuries. For example, photosynthesizing plants on land remove carbon dioxide directly from the atmosphere, and those carbon atoms become part of the structure of the plants. As plants are eaten by herbivores and herbivores are eaten by carnivores, carbon moves up the food web. Meanwhile, the respiration of plants, animals, and microbes returns carbon to the atmosphere as carbon dioxide (CO 2 ). When organisms die and decay carbon also returns to the atmosphere, or is integrated into soil along with some of their waste. The combustion of biomass during wildfires also release large amounts of carbon stored in plants back into the atmosphere.

On longer timescales, significant amounts of carbon are transferred between rocks and the ocean and atmosphere, typically over thousands to millions of years. For example, the weathering of rocks removes carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. The resulting sediments, along with organic material, can be transported (eroded) from the land to enter the ocean where they sink to the bottom. This carbon from land, as well as carbon atoms in CO 2 absorbed by the ocean from the atmosphere, can become incorporated into calcium carbonate (CaCO 3 ) shells made by algae, plants, and animals. These shells become buried. As the successive layers of sediment are compressed and cemented they are turned into limestone rock. Over millions of years these carbon-bearing rocks can be exposed to sufficient heat and pressure to melt, causing them to release their carbon back into the atmosphere as carbon dioxide via volcanism. Some of these rocks will also be exposed at the surface of the Earth through mountain building and weathering, and the cycling begins again. Carbon from the mantle (see plate tectonics) is also released into the atmosphere as carbon dioxide through volcanic activity.

Carbon is also transferred to rocks from the biosphere, via the formation of fossil fuels, which form over millions of years. Fossil fuels are derived from the burial of photosynthetic organisms, including plants on land (which primarily forms coal) and plankton in the oceans (which primarily forms oil and natural gas). While buried, this carbon is removed from the carbon cycle for millions of years to hundreds of millions of years.

Human activity, especially the burning of fossil fuels, has dramatically increased the exchange of carbon from the ground back into the atmosphere and oceans. This return of carbon back into atmosphere as carbon dioxide is occurring at a rate that is hundreds to thousands of times faster than it took to bury it, and much faster than it can be removed by the carbon cycle (for example, by weathering). Thus, the carbon dioxide released from the burning of fossil fuels is accumulating in the atmosphere, increasing average temperatures through the greenhouse effect, as well as dissolving in the ocean, causing ocean acidification.

The rate of exchange and the distribution of carbon in the Earth system is affected by various human activities and environmental phenomena, including:

The burning of fossil fuels , which rapidly releases carbon dioxide (CO 2 ), a greenhouse gas into the atmosphere, increasing average global temperatures and causing ocean acidification .

, which rapidly releases carbon dioxide (CO ), a into the atmosphere, increasing average global and causing . Agricultural activities that release carbon dioxide and methane (CH 4 , a greenhouse gases) into the atmosphere. For example, methane is produced from the digestion of plant material by cows, and from the bacteria that thrive in rice fields. Carbon dioxide is released from the burning of fossil fuels to power farming equipment, from the mining of minerals and the making of fertilizer. The growing of crops and the raising of livestock also affects local productivity and biomass , and rates of photosynthesis , respiration , and decay of organic material.

that release carbon dioxide and methane (CH , a into the atmosphere. For example, methane is produced from the digestion of plant material by cows, and from the bacteria that thrive in rice fields. Carbon dioxide is released from the to power farming equipment, from the mining of minerals and the making of fertilizer. The growing of crops and the raising of livestock also affects local , and rates of , , and decay of organic material. Deforestation , which decreases rates of photosynthesis and thus how much carbon dioxide is captured by the growth of plants. When trees grow they take carbon dioxide out of the atmosphere and transfer it into their wood, leaves, bark and roots. The carbon is returned to the atmosphere when downed trees are left to rot, or if the trees are intentionally set on fire , which is a common means of deforestation. Thus, deforestation typically releases carbon dioxide, unless all the material is used for construction, or for paper products.

, which decreases rates of and thus how much carbon dioxide is captured by the growth of plants. When trees grow they take carbon dioxide out of the atmosphere and transfer it into their wood, leaves, bark and roots. The carbon is returned to the atmosphere when downed trees are left to rot, or if the trees are intentionally set on , which is a common means of deforestation. Thus, typically releases carbon dioxide, unless all the material is used for construction, or for paper products. The extent of permafrost (soil that is frozen all year round), which contains methane (CH 4 , a greenhouse gas ). When temperatures remain cold all year-round organic material decays very slowly, and it remains in the soil. The melting of permafrost, which is happening as global temperatures increase, releases methane. The increasing temperatures also increase rates of decay, which further increases the amount of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere.

(soil that is frozen all year round), which contains methane (CH , a ). When temperatures remain cold all year-round organic material decays very slowly, and it remains in the soil. The melting of permafrost, which is happening as global increase, releases methane. The increasing temperatures also increase rates of decay, which further increases the amount of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. Over millions of years changes in the rate of sedimentation and rate of burial of organic matter alters the amount of carbon available for decay and how much carbon is stored in the rock record. For example, increased burial of dead plants and plankton decreases decay thereby increasing the rate of formation of fossil fuels.

and rate of burial of organic matter alters the amount of carbon available for decay and how much carbon is stored in the rock record. For example, increased burial of dead plants and plankton decreases decay thereby increasing the rate of formation of fossil fuels. Over millions of years, processes in the rock cycle can change carbon dioxide levels in the atmosphere. For example, the metamorphic reactions that occur under heat and pressure can release carbon dioxide. In contrast, the weathering of rocks that occurs when carbon dioxide dissolves into rainwater to form carbonic acid (H 2 CO 3 ) reduces the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. Warming can increase these weathering reactions, but not at a rate that can offset the increase in carbon dioxide due to human activities.

can change carbon dioxide levels in the atmosphere. For example, the metamorphic reactions that occur under heat and pressure can release carbon dioxide. In contrast, the of rocks that occurs when carbon dioxide dissolves into to form carbonic acid (H CO ) reduces the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. Warming can increase these weathering reactions, but not at a rate that can offset the increase in carbon dioxide due to human activities. Geologic changes in the rate of volcanism, driven by plate tectonics, can dramatically alter the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, but on timescales much longer than human timescales, over millions of years.

Earth system model about the carbon cycle

The Earth system model below includes some of the processes and phenomena related to the carbon cycle. These processes operate at various rates and on different spatial and temporal scales. For example, carbon is transferred among plants and animals over relatively short time periods (hours-weeks), but the human extraction and burning of fossil fuels has altered the carbon cycle over decades. Additionally, processes that include weathering and volcanism affect the carbon cycle over millions of years. Can you think of additional cause and effect relationships between the parts of the carbon cycle and other processes in the Earth system?

Explore the Earth System

Click the bolded terms (e.g. burning of fossil fuels, greenhouse effect, and weathering) on this page to learn more about these process and phenomena. Alternatively, explore the Understanding Global Change Infographic and find new topics that are of interest and/or locally relevant to you.

Links to Learn More

How the Carbon Cycle Helps Sustain Life on Earth

Carbon is an important part of human life. We’re primarily made of carbon, we eat carbon, and our economies, homes, and transportation are all built on carbon. Carbon moves throughout the planet in a process called the global carbon cycle, which is an essential part of our planet's overall health. However, as vital as carbon is to the continuation of our civilization, it also plays a huge role in one of the biggest threats facing our planet: global warming and climate change.

With this article, we’ll define the carbon cycle, explain how it works and how the Earth uses it to regulate the levels of greenhouse gasses in the atmosphere, and how human activities are unbalancing this global process.

Carbon Cycle Definition

The carbon cycle is a natural process that moves carbon compounds throughout different deposits, or reservoirs, in the environment. (These reservoirs include the biosphere, pedosphere, geosphere, hydrosphere, and atmosphere.) Carbon atoms naturally cycle through reservoirs, since all life on Earth uses carbon compounds for basic biological processes.

The carbon cycle occurs because Earth is a closed system, meaning that the total amount of carbon never changes. What does change is how much carbon resides in each of those reservoirs at any one time. While the largest deposits of carbon are stored inside rocks and sediment that exist below Earth's surface, the oceans and the atmosphere also hold carbon. From these sources, plants and animal life can draw on carbon to perform biological processes.

How Does the Carbon Cycle Work?

There are four natural steps that carbon can cycle through as it visits different reservoirs:

Photosynthesis: Plants absorb carbon dioxide (CO2) in the atmosphere to produce the sugars they need to live, and this moves carbon from the air into plant matter. Decomposition: As deceased plants and animals decay, their carbon is released into the ground, which eventually solidifies into sediment stored beneath the surface. Respiration: Carbon is released into the atmosphere as living organisms breathe out, after extracting oxygen from the air, or after consuming plants. Combustion: Whether in volcanic eruptions or fossil fuel-based energy systems (basically turning dead organisms into fuel), the burning of fossil fuels and other carbon-based sediments releases energy, and carbon is returned to the atmosphere.

Those four steps of the carbon cycle work in tandem to move carbon throughout the environment. Just keep in mind that carbon doesn’t have to move through every step, since the carbon cycle is more of a system than a single process.

Photosynthesis draws carbon from the air and moves it into plant matter.

Respiration takes carbon within plant matter and moves it back into the atmosphere.

As organisms die, they decompose, and their carbon solidifies underground.

Combustion takes the underground carbon and releases it into the atmosphere, ready to be photosynthesized.

To help explain this process in more detail, we put together this carbon cycle diagram:

"Fast" Carbon Cycle

The fast cycle refers to the carbon cycle steps through which carbon can quickly cycle through the environment, and can be measured in a lifespan. Photosynthesis and respiration are the two steps associated with the fast cycle. This carbon is being processed through the food chain, with plants as the driving force.

Because of the swift nature of biological processes, the compounds are rapidly moved between plant matter, animals, and the atmosphere. Very little carbon is moved during any given spin through the fast cycle, but due to the speed of the process, the overall amount processed each year is greater than in the slow cycle.

"Slow" Carbon Cycle

The exchange of carbon compounds between the atmosphere and Earth (where it is stored in the ocean, rocks, and soil) is called the slow carbon cycle, and it can take millions of years. This process mainly involves the decomposition and combustion parts of the carbon cycle steps.

Natural processes within the Earth, like tectonics and internal chemical reactions, contribute most to slow cycling.

Carbonic acid within rain introduces compounds into the soil and oceans, where it begins to form into rocks that can store carbon.

Merging of decaying organic material from the fast cycle as it moves underground over a long time frame is also a factor.

While a single trip moves more carbon than its speedy sibling, the slow cycle is so gradual that it processes less carbon per year than the fast cycle.

Why The Carbon Cycle Is Important

The most common carbon compound in the carbon cycle is carbon dioxide, a greenhouse gas. Greenhouse gasses are heavy enough to linger in the atmosphere and trap the excess heat energy that normally would radiate out into space. As more greenhouse gasses accumulate in the atmosphere, more energy is trapped.

Having some greenhouse gasses is crucial to keeping our planet at a habitable temperature. Without a warm atmosphere, Earth would be far too cold for life to thrive. However, the accumulation of too many greenhouse gasses can lead to global warming. This causes overall temperatures to rise, and extreme weather events to occur.

The natural carbon cycle keeps carbon atoms in the atmosphere regulated enough to avoid global warming. Human intervention, however, can disrupt this natural cycle.

Human Impact On The Carbon Cycle

Human actions have led to far higher carbon levels in the atmosphere than ever previously recorded. Using fossil fuels for energy and fuel is one of the biggest reasons so much carbon dioxide is now in the atmosphere.

While the carbon cycle can remove some of that carbon dioxide, it can only remove so much carbon from the atmosphere at a time. When we release too much, a buildup of greenhouse gasses occurs, which leads to global warming, extreme weather events, and other ecological and environmental crises.

Some examples of ways humans are creating greenhouse gases and overwhelming the carbon cycle include:

Cutting down forests for development greatly reduces how much photosynthesis occurs, and eliminates a carbon reservoir.

The agricultural sector uses heavy machinery that releases a large amount of carbon dioxide from the combustion process, while also clearing land in large quantities.

Gasoline- and diesel-powered cars emit carbon dioxide in their exhaust while being operated.

Because of our growing global market, international shipping uses huge amounts of fossil fuels to power ships, planes, and trucks.

Fossil fuel-based home heating systems, energy grids, and appliances are very common.

The textile and fashion industries produce a huge amount of waste, and the creation of certain fabrics can lead to high amounts of carbon emissions.

Carbon Recycling Helps Sustain Life On Earth

A properly functioning carbon cycle is crucial to maintaining a healthy planet and healthy life for everyone that inhabits it. The Earth must have a way to regularly distribute carbon throughout our environment to preserve the balance between plant, animal, and insect life. However, human activities have altered the cycle, funneling millions of pounds of excess carbon compounds into the atmosphere, especially in the form of carbon dioxide, a greenhouse gas.

The good news is that you can take steps to lower your carbon footprint. By making more environmentally-conscious decisions, you can reduce your contribution to growing emissions.

One of the best ways to lower your impact on the carbon cycle is to install solar panels on your home. By using renewable energy instead of fossil fuels, you can help slow global warming, and you could even lower your monthly energy bills in the process. Palmetto can help you take the first steps towards the installation of a solar power system on your home, so check out our Free Solar Design and Savings Estimate tool to get started today!