Blog
Save
Email
Print
ShareThe carbon cycle is the biogeochemical cycle by which carbon is exchanged between the biosphere, geosphere, hydrosphere and atmosphere of the Earth.
The cycle is usually thought of as four major reservoirs of carbon interconnected by pathways of exchange.
The reservoirs are the atmosphere, the terrestrial biosphere (which usually includes freshwater systems and non-living organic material, such as soil carbon), the oceans (which includes dissolved inorganic carbon and living and non-living marine biota), and the sediments (which includes fossil fuels).
The annual movements of carbon, the carbon exchanges between reservoirs, occur because of various chemical, physical, geological, and biological processes.
The ocean contains the largest active pool of carbon near the surface of the Earth, but the deep ocean part of this pool does not rapidly exchange with the atmosphere.
For more information about the topic Carbon cycle, read the full article at Wikipedia.org, or see the following related articles:
Atmospheric chemistry — Atmospheric chemistry is a branch of atmospheric science in which the chemistry of the Earth's atmosphere and that of other planets is studied. It is ... > read more
Earth's atmosphere — Earth's atmosphere is a layer of gases surrounding the planet Earth and retained by the Earth's gravity. It contains roughly 78% nitrogen and 21% ... > read more
Sedimentary rock — Sedimentary rock is one of the three main rock groups (along with igneous and metamorphic rocks) and is formed in four main ways: by the deposition ... > read more
Soil — Soil is material capable of supporting plant life. Soil forms through a variety of soil formation processes, and includes weathered rock "parent ... > read more
Soil life — Soil life is a collective term for all the organisms living within the soil. In a balanced soil, plants grow in an active and vibrant environment. ... > read more
Phytoplankton — Phytoplankton refers to the autotrophic component of the plankton that drifts in the water column. Most phytoplankton are too small to be ... > read more
Lithosphere — The lithosphere is the solid outermost shell of a rocky planet. On the Earth, the lithosphere includes the crust and the uppermost layer of the ... > read moreEditor's Note: This article is not intended to provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment.
Recommend this page on Facebook, Twitter,
and Google +1:
Other bookmarking and sharing tools:
more 