Carbon Cycling in the Environment

What are the primary producers in the carbon cycle?

What is the main difference between the residence time of carbon in living organisms versus fossil fuels?

What are the two largest reservoirs of carbon on Earth?

What is the primary source of carbon in all living organisms on Earth?

Which reservoir holds the most carbon on Earth?

What is the process by which fossil fuels are formed?

Primary Producers in the Carbon Cycle

Primary producers are organisms that make their own food through photosynthesis (plants, algae, and some bacteria).
They take in carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and convert it into organic molecules, such as sugars.

Residence Time of Carbon

Residence time is the average amount of time that a carbon atom spends in a particular reservoir.
Carbon in living organisms has a relatively short residence time (years to decades).
Carbon in fossil fuels has a much longer residence time (millions of years).

Reservoirs of Carbon

Two largest reservoirs of carbon on Earth:
- The lithosphere (rocks) holds the most carbon.
- The ocean holds the second largest amount.

Source of Carbon in Living Organisms

The primary source of carbon in all living organisms is carbon dioxide (CO2).

Fossil Fuel Formation

Fossil fuels are formed over millions of years from the remains of ancient organisms.
These organisms are buried under layers of sediment and subjected to heat and pressure.
This process converts the organic matter into coal, oil, and natural gas.

Test Your Knowledge on Carbon Cycling in the Environment! Take this quiz to see how much you know about the different forms and locations of carbon in the environment. From fungi and bacteria to soils and water bodies, learn about the various ways carbon cycles through the environment. Keywords: carbon, environment, cycling, fungi, bacteria, soils, water bodies.