How is the Carbon Cycle important to Animals and Plants.?

Question

Dont be afraid to put big amounts of information.
^^

Answer 1

The carbon cycle is the biogeochemical cycle by which carbon is exchanged between the biosphere, geosphere, hydrosphere and atmosphere of the Earth. Other bodies may have carbon cycles, but little is known about them. All of these components are reservoirs of carbon. The cycle is usually thought of as four main reservoirs of carbon interconnected by pathways of exchange. The reservoirs are the atmosphere, terrestrial biosphere (usually includes freshwater systems), oceans, and sediments (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 pool of carbon near the surface of the Earth, but most of that pool is not involved with rapid exchange with the atmosphere.

All living organisms are based on the carbon atom. Unique among the common elements of the earth's surface, the carbon atom has the ability to form bonds with as many as four other atoms (including other carbon atoms) and to form double bonds to itself. Carbon compounds can be solid, liquid, or gas under conditions commonly found on the earth's surface. Because of this, carbon can help form solid minerals (such as limestone), 'squishy' organisms (such as plants and animals), and can be dissolved in water or carried around the world through the atmosphere as carbon dioxide gas. The attributes of the remarkable carbon atom make possible the existence of all organic compounds essential to life on earth.

Carbon atoms continually move through living organisms, the oceans, the atmosphere, and the crust of the planet. This movement is known as the carbon cycle. The paths taken by carbon atoms through this cycle are extremely complex, and may take millions of years to come full circle.



Consider, for example, the journey of a "typical" carbon atom that existed in the atmosphere as part of a carbon dioxide molecule some 360 million years ago, during the Carboniferous Period. That molecule drifted into the leaf of a large fern growing in the extensive tropical swamp forests of that time.



Through photosynthesis, the oxygen from the molecule was released back into the air and the carbon atom was removed from the molecule and used to build a molecule of sugar.

The sugar could have been broken down by the plant at a later time to release the energy stored inside, but this particular sugar molecule was transformed instead into a long-lived structural part of one of the plant cells. Soon after, the fern died and the remains sank into the muck at the bottom of the swamp. Over thousands of years, more plants grew in the swamp and their remains also sank into the swamp, forming a layer of dead plant material many meters thick. Gradually, the climate changed, becoming drier and less tropical. Sand, dust, and other materials slowly covered the ancient swamp and sealed the decaying vegetation under an ever-thickening layer of sediment. The sediment hardened, turning to sedimentary rock. The carbon atom stayed trapped in the remains of the long-vanished swamp while the pressure of the layers above slowly turned the material into coals.

Some 360 million years later, in the 1900s, the coal bed was mined by humans and burned to fuel industrial civilization.




The process of burning released the energy stored in the carbon compounds in the coal and reunited the carbon atom with oxygen to form again.



The was released to the atmosphere through the smokestack and the journey continues. Many other paths are possible, some taking only hours or days to trace, others, like the one above, many millions of years.

The aggregation of the possible paths of carbon, where it may be stored for extended periods (the "sinks"), where it is likely to be released to the atmosphere (the "source"), and what triggers those sources (the "release agents"), together defines the carbon cycle.

Carbon sinks include long-lived trees, limestone (formed from the carbon-containing shells of small sea creatures that settle to the ocean bottoms and build up into thick deposits), plastic (a modern invention, but very long-lived), and the burial of organic matter (such as those that formed the fossil fuels we use today). Carbon sources include the burning of fossil fuels and other organic matter, the weathering of limestone rocks (which releases ), and the respiration of living organisms. Release agents include volcanic activity, forest fires, and many human activities.

Circulation through nature of carbon in the form of the simple element and its compounds. The source of carbon in living things is carbon dioxide (CO2) from air or dissolved in water. Algae and green plants (producers) use CO2 in photosynthesis to make carbohydrates, which in turn are used in the processes of metabolism to make all other compounds in their tissues and those of animals that consume them. The carbon may pass through several levels of herbivores and carnivores (consumers). Animals and, at night, plants return the CO2 to the atmosphere as a by-product of respiration. The carbon in animal wastes and in the bodies of organisms is released as CO2 in a series of steps by decay organisms (decomposers), chiefly bacteria and fungi (see fungus). Some organic carbon (the remains of organisms) has accumulated in Earth's crust in fossil fuels, limestone, and coral. The carbon of fossil fuels, removed from the cycle in prehistoric times, is being returned in vast quantities as CO2 via industrial and agricultural processes, some accumulating in the oceans as dissolved carbonates and some staying in the atmosphere.

carbon cycle, in biology, the exchange of carbon between living organisms and the nonliving environment. Inorganic carbon dioxide in the atmosphere is converted by plants into simple carbohydrates, which are then used to produce more complex substances. Animals eat the plants and are then eaten by other animals. When these life forms die, they decay, breaking down into, among many other things, carbon dioxide, which returns to the atmosphere. Plants and animals also release carbon dioxide during respiration. Animals and some microorganisms require the carbon-containing substances from plants in order to produce energy and as a source of materials for many of their own biochemical reactions; this cycle is vital to them. The process of incorporating carbon dioxide into the molecules of living matter is called fixation. Nearly all carbon dioxide fixation is accomplished by means of photosynthesis, in which green plants form carbohydrates from carbon dioxide and water, using the energy of sunlight to drive the chemical reactions involved. Green plants use carbohydrates to build the other organic molecules that make up their cells, such as cellulose, fats, proteins, and nucleic acids. Some of these compounds require the incorporation of nitrogen (see nitrogen cycle). When carbohydrates are oxidized in cells they release the energy stored in their chemical bonds, and some of that energy is also used by the cell to drive other reactions. In the process of oxidation, or respiration, oxygen from the atmosphere (or from water) is combined with portions of the carbohydrate molecule, producing carbon dioxide and water, the compounds from which the carbohydrates were originally formed. However, not all of the carbon atoms incorporated by the plant can be returned to the atmosphere by its own respiration; some remain fixed in the organic materials that make up its cells. When the plant dies, its tissues are consumed by bacteria and other microorganisms, a process called decay. These microorganisms break down the organic molecules of the plant and use them for their own cell-building and energy needs; by their respiration more of the carbon is returned to the atmosphere. The carbon-containing molecules that an animal derives from consuming other organisms are reorganized to build its own cells or oxidized for energy by respiration, releasing carbon dioxide and water. When the animal dies it too is decayed by microorganisms, resulting in the return of more carbon to the atmosphere. Carbon-containing molecules in wood (or other dry, slow-decaying organic materials) may be oxidized by burning, or combustion, also producing carbon dioxide and water. Under conditions prevailing on earth at certain times, green plants have decayed only partially and have been transformed into fossil fuels—coal, peat, and oil. These materials are made of organic compounds formed by the plants; when burned, they too restore carbon dioxide to the atmosphere.
carbon cycle, in biology, the exchange of carbon between living organisms and the nonliving environment. Inorganic carbon dioxide in the atmosphere is converted by plants into simple carbohydrates, which are then used to produce more complex substances. Animals eat the plants and are then eaten by other animals. When these life forms die, they decay, breaking down into, among many other things, carbon dioxide, which returns to the atmosphere. Plants and animals also release carbon dioxide during respiration. Animals and some microorganisms require the carbon-containing substances from plants in order to produce energy and as a source of materials for many of their own biochemical reactions; this cycle is vital to them. The process of incorporating carbon dioxide into the molecules of living matter is called fixation. Nearly all carbon dioxide fixation is accomplished by means of photosynthesis, in which green plants form carbohydrates from carbon dioxide and water, using the energy of sunlight to drive the chemical reactions involved. Green plants use carbohydrates to build the other organic molecules that make up their cells, such as cellulose, fats, proteins, and nucleic acids. Some of these compounds require the incorporation of nitrogen (see nitrogen cycle). When carbohydrates are oxidized in cells they release the energy stored in their chemical bonds, and some of that energy is also used by the cell to drive other reactions. In the process of oxidation, or respiration, oxygen from the atmosphere (or from water) is combined with portions of the carbohydrate molecule, producing carbon dioxide and water, the compounds from which the carbohydrates were originally formed. However, not all of the carbon atoms incorporated by the plant can be returned to the atmosphere by its own respiration; some remain fixed in the organic materials that make up its cells. When the plant dies, its tissues are consumed by bacteria and other microorganisms, a process called decay. These microorganisms break down the organic molecules of the plant and use them for their own cell-building and energy needs; by their respiration more of the carbon is returned to the atmosphere. The carbon-containing molecules that an animal derives from consuming other organisms are reorganized to build its own cells or oxidized for energy by respiration, releasing carbon dioxide and water. When the animal dies it too is decayed by microorganisms, resulting in the return of more carbon to the atmosphere. Carbon-containing molecules in wood (or other dry, slow-decaying organic materials) may be oxidized by burning, or combustion, also producing carbon dioxide and water. Under conditions prevailing on earth at certain times, green plants have decayed only partially and have been transformed into fossil fuels—coal, peat, and oil. These materials are made of organic compounds formed by the plants; when burned, they too restore carbon dioxide to the atmosphere.

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Answer 2

I think this question really could be said both ways, nitrogen makes up about 80% of the air, and is essential to animal and plant life because it's one of the building blocks of protein, but everything alive is made out of carbon. however, most nitrogen used by plants these days comes from fertilizer, and not the nitrogen cycle. thanks to the Haber-Bosch process, most of the nitrogen used in crops comes from chemical fertilizer. So in a modern setting, the carbon cycle is more important.

Answer 3

Dont you have a biology book?

For Animals and plants in the dark phase:

C6H12O6 + 6(O2) = 6(CO2) + 6(H2O)

in Layman terms;

1 molecule glucose + 6 molecules oxygen = 6 carbon dioxides + 6 water

in photosyntetetic phase (in plants that are using light energy to make energy, the above equation is reversed.

Hope its what you are looking for.

Answer 4

the stared parts r most important

In ecology, a biogeochemical cycle is a circuit or pathway by which a chemical element or molecule moves through both biotic ("bio-") and abiotic ("geo-") compartments of an ecosystem. In effect, the element is recycled, although in some such cycles there may be places (called "sinks") where the element is accumulated or held for a long period of time.

Carbon is an essential part of life on the Earth. It plays an important role in the structure, biochemistry, and nutrition of all living cells. And life plays an important role in the carbon cycle

Carbon is taken from the atmosphere in two ways:

When the sun is shining, **plants perform photosynthesis to convert carbon dioxide into carbohydrates, releasing oxygen in the process. This process is most prolific in relatively new forests where tree growth is still rapid.**

At the surface of the oceans near the poles, where the water becomes cooler and able to dissolve more carbon dioxide (see the entries on the solubility and biological pumps).

Carbon can be released back into the atmosphere in many different ways.

**Through the respiration performed by plants and animals. This is an exothermic reaction and it involves the breaking down of glucose (or other organic molecules) into carbon dioxide and water. **

**Through the decay of animal and plant matter. Fungi and bacteria break down the carbon compounds in dead animals and plants and convert the carbon to carbon dioxide if oxygen is present, or methane if not.**

Through combustion of organic material which oxidizes the carbon it contains, producing carbon dioxide (as well as other things, like smoke). Burning fossil fuels such as coal, petroleum products, and natural gas releases carbon that has been stored in the geosphere for millions of years. This is a major reason for rising atmospheric carbon dioxide levels.

Through reactions of limestone. Limestone, marble and chalk are composed mainly of calcium carbonate. As deposits of these rocks are eroded by water, the calcium carbonate is broken down to eventually form, among other things, carbon dioxide and carbonic acid. Production of cement and lime is done by heating

limestone, which produces a substantial amount of carbon dioxide.

At the surface of the oceans where the water becomes warmer, dissolved carbon dioxide is released back into the atmosphere

Volcanic eruptions release gases into the atmosphere. These gases include water vapor, carbon dioxide and sulfur dioxide.

****Autotrophs are organisms that produce their own organic compounds using carbon dioxide from the air or water in which they live. To do this they require an external source of energy. Almost all autotrophs use solar radiation to provide this, and their production process is called photosynthesis. A small number of autotrophs exploit chemical energy sources, chemosynthesis. The most important autotrophs for the carbon cycle are trees in forests on land and phytoplankton in the Earth's oceans. Photosynthesis follows the reaction 6CO2 + 6H2O → C6H12O6 + 6O2
Carbon is transferred within the biosphere as heterotrophs feed on other organisms or their parts (e.g., fruits). This includes the uptake of dead organic material (detritus) by fungi and bacteria for fermentation or decay.
Most carbon leaves the biosphere through respiration. When oxygen is present, aerobic respiration occurs, which releases carbon dioxide into the surrounding air or water, folowing the reaction C6H12O6 + 6O2 → 6CO2 + 6H2O. Otherwise, anaerobic respiration occurs and releases methane into the surrounding environment, which eventually makes its way into the atmosphere or hydrosphere (e.g., as marsh gas or flatulence). ****

Answer 5

carbon cycle

in biology, the exchange of carbon between living organisms and the nonliving environment. Inorganic carbon dioxide in the atmosphere is converted by plants into simple carbohydrates, which are then used to produce more complex substances. Animals eat the plants and are then eaten by other animals. When these life forms die, they decay, breaking down into, among many other things, carbon dioxide, which returns to the atmosphere. Plants and animals also release carbon dioxide during respiration. Animals and some microorganisms require the carbon-containing substances from plants in order to produce energy and as a source of materials for many of their own biochemical reactions; this cycle is vital to them. The process of incorporating carbon dioxide into the molecules of living matter is called fixation. Nearly all carbon dioxide fixation is accomplished by means of photosynthesis, in which green plants form carbohydrates from carbon dioxide and water, using the energy of sunlight to drive the chemical reactions involved. Green plants use carbohydrates to build the other organic molecules that make up their cells, such as cellulose, fats, proteins, and nucleic acids. Some of these compounds require the incorporation of nitrogen (see nitrogen cycle). When carbohydrates are oxidized in cells they release the energy stored in their chemical bonds, and some of that energy is also used by the cell to drive other reactions. In the process of oxidation, or respiration, oxygen from the atmosphere (or from water) is combined with portions of the carbohydrate molecule, producing carbon dioxide and water, the compounds from which the carbohydrates were originally formed. However, not all of the carbon atoms incorporated by the plant can be returned to the atmosphere by its own respiration; some remain fixed in the organic materials that make up its cells. When the plant dies, its tissues are consumed by bacteria and other microorganisms, a process called decay. These microorganisms break down the organic molecules of the plant and use them for their own cell-building and energy needs; by their respiration more of the carbon is returned to the atmosphere. The carbon-containing molecules that an animal derives from consuming other organisms are reorganized to build its own cells or oxidized for energy by respiration, releasing carbon dioxide and water. When the animal dies it too is decayed by microorganisms, resulting in the return of more carbon to the atmosphere. Carbon-containing molecules in wood (or other dry, slow-decaying organic materials) may be oxidized by burning, or combustion, also producing carbon dioxide and water. Under conditions prevailing on earth at certain times, green plants have decayed only partially and have been transformed into fossil fuels–coal, peat, and oil. These materials are made of organic compounds formed by the plants; when burned, they too restore carbon dioxide to the atmosphere.
http://education.yahoo.com/reference/encyclopedia/entry/carboncy

Answer 6

Plants take CO2 from the air and make sugar,C6H12O6, Animals eat plants and breath out CO2.

Answer 7

it is they live