carbon cycle and nitrogen cycle?

Question

what is the difference and similarity of the carbon and nitrogen cycle. please help me!!

Answer 1

The carbon cycle and the nitrogen cycle are alike because:
1. Both carbon and nitrogen are plentiful in the air.
2. Producers take carbon and nitrogen from the environment and the elements become part of the plant tissues.
3. Consumers get carbon and nitrogen from their food.
4. Both carbon and nitrogen can be returned to the environment when animals die and decompose.

Differences include these:
1. Carbon is usually returned to the air as carbon dioxide and producers take carbon dioxide out of the air again. Nitrogen is usually returned to the ground when organisms decomposed, and producers take the nitrogen compounds out of the ground.
2. Plants get carbon dioxide straight from the air. Plants cannot use nitrogen straight from the air. Nitrogen gas must be changed into compounds that the plants can use, usually by the action of bacteria.
3. The carbon cycle has a short term cycle (carbon dioxide - producers - consumers - carbon dioxide in air again) and a long term cycle (carbon dioxide - producers - consumers --- stored away for millions of years as fossil fuels).