The Carbon
Cycle is probably better known as The Circle of Life. Since it is a continuous cycle, there is really no beginning of the cycle but we will start with the plants.
First the plants absorb carbon from the
air through their leaves.
Then herbivores eat the plants and the plants give a percentage of their energy and their carbon to the herbivore.
Next carnivores eat the herbivores and that passes along energy and carbon as well.
Finally the carnivore dies, decomposes, and the carbon returns to the soil that eventually grows
grass and other plants.
The atmosphere receives carbon from various sources but here are a couple:
- Burned fossil fuels.
- When animals exhale. (Including
humans.)
- Believe it or not, volcanoes!
- Plant respiration. (When Plants "breathe" in, they also inhale
oxygen so they exhale a portion of carbon dioxide.)
Grass absorbs carbon through leaves. Rabbit eats grass.
Fox eats rabbit.
Fox eventually dies, decomposes, and becomes soil. Soil grows new grass. That is the Carbon Cycle.