READ: Bio Cycles
5. The Carbon Cycle
Carbon Cycle
Flowing water can slowly dissolve carbon in sedimentary rock. Most of this carbon ends up in the ocean. The deep ocean can store carbon for thousands of years or more. Sedimentary rock and the ocean are major reservoirs of stored carbon. Carbon is also stored for varying lengths of time in the atmosphere, in living organisms, and as fossil fuel deposits. These are all parts of the carbon cycle, which is shown in Figure below.
The Carbon Cycle. Carbon moves from one reservoir to another in the carbon cycle. What role do organisms play in this cycle?
The carbon cycle is discussed in the following video:
Carbon cycles quickly between organisms and the atmosphere. Cellular respiration releases carbon into the atmosphere as carbon dioxide. Photosynthesis removes carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and uses it to make organic compounds. Carbon cycles far more slowly through geological processes such as sedimentation. Carbon may be stored in sedimentary rock for millions of years.
CK-12 Foundation, Biology. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0/