The Carbon Cycle

1
The Carbon Cycle
And the Cycling of CO2
2
Carbon Reservoirs

• Carbon dioxide in the atmosphere
• Car bon dioxide dissolved in water
• Sedimentary rocks (limestone and sandstone )
• Deposits of coal, petroleum, and natural gas
  derived from once-living things
• Dead organic matter

3
Reservoirs of Carbon

• Sedimentary rocks
• Oceans and other bodies of water
• Atmosphere
• Dead organic matter
• Deposits of fossil fuels
• Carbon dioxide is cycled in and out of each
  reservoir

4
Sedimentary Rock

• Created when small particles of Earth and
  decomposed plant and animal life settle at the
  bottom of lakes, rivers and oceans and are
  compressed by the weight of the water until the
  bottom layers slowly turn into rock.
• Sandstone and limestone are examples
• Removal of CO2 occurs when sediments are
  dissolved in water or geological process expose
  sediment to the action of the atmosphere

5
Oceans

• CO2 is removed by photosynthesis of marine
  organisms
• CO2 is removed when it reacts with sea water
  forming carbonate ions
• CO2 is added by cellular respiration of marine
  organisms
• CO2 is added when atmospheric oxygen dissolves
  into the ocean
• CO2 is added when sedimentary rock dissolves in
  the ocean

6
Atmosphere

• CO2 is added by burning fossil fuels
• CO2 is added by volcanic eruption
• CO2 is added by cellular respiration of
  terrestrial producers, consumers and decomposers
• CO2 is removed by photosynthesis of terrestrial
  producers (This is effected by deforestation)

7
Dead Organic Matter

• Decay releases CO2 in the presence of oxygen
• Decay releases CH4 (methane) in the absence of
  oxygen

8
Fossil Fuels

• Created when dead plants and animals accumulate
  on ancient sea floor and are exposed to high
  pressure and temperature over millions of years.
• Rate of use is much faster than the natural
  creation of fossil fuels
• Fossil fuels are considered nonrenewable
• Release CO2 when burned

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