The Carbon Cycle - Role Of Organisms Flashcards
What three types of organisms are involved in the carbon cycle?
Plants
Animals
Microorganisms
What is the role of plants in the carbon cycle?
Plants remove carbon from the environment by photosynthesis and return it by respiration
What do plants remove from the atmosphere?
Carbon
How do plants remove from the atmosphere?
Through photosynthesis
What do plants return to the atmosphere?
Carbon
How do plants return carbon to the atmosphere?
Through respiration
What is the role of animals in the carbon cycle?
Animals obtain their carbon by eating plants; they release carbon dioxide by respiration
How do animals obtain their carbon?
By eating plants
What do animals obtain by eating plants?
Carbon
What do animals release into the atmosphere through respiration
Carbon
How do animals release carbon into the atmosphere?
Respiration
What is the role of micro-organisms in the carbon cycle?
Microorganisms such as fungi and bacteria return carbon to the environment when they decompose dead plants and animals
What types of micro-organisms have a role in the carbon cycle?
Fungi
Bacteria
How do microorganisms return carbon to the environment?
They do so when they decompose dead plants and animals
What do microorganisms decompose?
Dead plants and animals
