Carbon cycle

CARBON
CYCLE Submitted by,
JEEVA RAJ
JOSEPH
1ST M.Sc. M.B.
MSRCASC

CARBON
Carbon is virtually important
molecule in the carbon cycle.
Proteins, nucleic acids, lipids,
carbohydrates, and other
molecules essential to life
contain carbon.

Carbon is present in the atmosphere
as the gas carbon dioxide (CO2),
which makes up approximately 0.04%
of the atmosphere.
It is also present in the ocean and
fresh water as dissolved carbon
dioxide. Carbons are also present in
rocks such as limestone (CaCO3).

The global movement of
carbon between the abiotic
environment, including the
atmosphere and ocean, and
organisms is known as the
CARBON CYCLE.

Step 1: PHOTOSYNTHESIS
 During photosynthesis, plants, algae,
and cyanobacteria remove Carbon
dioxide from the air and fix, or
incorporate it into complex organic
compounds such as glucose.
 Photosynthesis incorporates carbon
from the abiotic into the biological
compounds of producers.

Step 2: DECOMPOSITION, ANIMAL & PLANT RESPIRATION, SOIL
MICROORGANISMRESPIRATION.
 Many of the compounds are used as fuel for
cellular respiration by the producer that made
them, by a consumer that eats producer, or by
a decomposer that breaks down the remains of
the producer or consumer.
 The process of a cellular respiration returns
CO2 to the atmosphere. A similar carbon cycle
occurs in aquatic ecosystems between aquatic
organisms and dissolved CO2 in water.

 The process of photosynthesis
incorporates the carbon atoms from
carbon dioxide into sugars.
 Animals eat the plants and use the
carbon to build their own tissues.
 Carnivores eat these animals and then
use the carbon for their own needs.
 These animals return carbon dioxide
into the air when they breathe, and
when they die,the carbon is returned
to the soil during decomposition.

Step 3: PARTLY DECOMPOSED PLANT
REMAINS (COAL)
Millions of years ago vast
coal beds formed from the
bodies of ancient trees that
were buried and subjected to
anaerobic conditions before
they had fully decayed.

Step 4: MARINEPLANKTONREMAINS
 The oils of unicellular marine organisms
probably gave rise to the underground
deposits of oil and natural gas that
accumulated in the geologic past.
 Coal, oil, and natural gas, called
fossil fuels because they formed
from the remains of ancient
organisms. Fossil fuels are non-
renewable resources. The Earth has
a finite or limited supply of these
resources.

Step 5: COMBUSTION(HUMAN& NATURAL)
 The process of burning or
combustion, may return the carbon in
oil, coal, natural gas, and wood to the
atmosphere.
 In combustion, organic molecules are
rapidly oxidized (combined with
oxygen) and converted to carbon
dioxide and water with release of
light and heat.

Step 6: BURIAL AND COMPACTION TO FORM ROCK
(LIMESTONE)
 An even greater amount of carbon
that is stored for millions of
years is incorporated into the
shells of marine organisms.
 When these organisms die, their
shells sink to the ocean floor and
sediments cover them forming
cemented together to form
limestone.

Step 7: EROSIONOF LIMESTONE TO FORM
DISSOLVED CO2
 When the process of geologic
uplift expose limestone, chemical
and physical weathering
processes slowly erode it away.
 This returns carbon to the water
and atmosphere where it is
available to participate in the
carbon cycle once again.

 Thus, photosynthesis removes
carbon from the abiotic
environment and incorporate it
into biological molecules.
 While, Cellular respiration,
combustion, and erosion of
limestone return carbon to the
water and atmosphere of the
abiotic environment.

Why carbon cycle is important?
 Many elements have cycle, but the cycling of
carbon atoms is particularly important
because:-
 Through photosynthesis and respiration, it is
the way the earth produces food and other
renewal resources.
 CO2 plays a key role in trapping heat in the
atmosphere - one of the basic mechanisms
behind the greenhouse effect.
 Carbon plays a central role in
combustion.

 Through decomposition, it serves as
the earth's waste disposal system.
 In addition, the carbon cycle is
important because carbon-containing
gases in the atmosphere affect the
earth's climate.
 Increased CO2 in the atmosphere
has been responsible for more than
half of the climate warming
observed in recent decades.

Carbon cycle

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