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Carbon Cycling

Arpita Edke

The Carbon Cycle

The Carbon Cycle

The series of processes by which carbon compounds are interconverted in the environment involving...

  • The incorporation of carbon dioxide into living tissue by photosynthesis
  • The return of carbon dioxide to the atmosphere through respiration
  • The release of the carbon dioxide through the decay of dead organisms
  • The release of carbon dioxide through the burning of fossil fuels

What it Looks Like

What it Looks Like

How it Works

How it Works

Carbon Fixation

Autotrophs convert carbon dioxide into carbohydrates, lipids and other carbon compounds by absorbing it from the atmosphere. This in turn reduces the CO2 concentration of the atmosphere - it is currently 0.039% and lower in other areas of the Earth's surface where photosynthesis rates are high.

Carbon Fixation

CO2 in Solution

Carbon dioxide is soluble in water and thus in aquatic habitats is present as a dissolved gas and hydrogen carbonate ions. Carbon dioxide can dissociate to form hydrogen ions and hydrogen carbonate ions, later combining with water to form carbonic acid. Hence CO2 reduces water's pH.

Both dissolved CO2 and hydrogen carbonate ions are absorbed by aquatic plants and other autotrophs that live in water.

Absorption of CO2

Autotrophs use carbon dioxide in the production of carbon compounds by photosynthesis or other processes. This reduces the concentration of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere and thus sets up a concentration gradient between bodily cells and the surrounding air or water. Therefore, carbon dioxide diffuses from the atmosphere into autotrophs.

Carbon dioxide diffuses into land plants through the stomata in the underside of the leaves.

Land Plants

Land Plants

Aquatic Plants

In aquatic plants the entire surface of the leaves and stems is usually permeable to carbon dioxide, and so diffusion can be through any parts of these parts of the plants.

Aquatic Plants

Release of CO2

Carbon dioxide is a waste product of aerobic cell respiration and is produced by all cells that aerobically respire. These can be grouped as:

  • Non-photosynthetic cells in producers such as root cells in plants
  • Animal cells
  • Saprotrophs such as fungi that decompose dead organic matter

Carbon dioxide produced by respiration diffuses out of cells and passes into the surrounding water or air.

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