User:Nataliaalvarez583/Terrestrial biological carbon cycle

Atmosphere
Main article: Atmospheric carbon cycle

Most carbon leaves the terrestrial biosphere through respiration. When oxygen is present, aerobic respiration occurs, producing carbon dioxide. If oxygen is not present, e.g. as is the case in marshes or in animals' digestive tracts, anaerobic respiration can occur, which produces methane. About half of the gross primary production is respired by plants directly back into the atmosphere. Part of the net primary production, or the remaining carbon absorbed by the biosphere, is emitted back into the atmosphere through fires and heterotrophic respiration. The rest is converted into soil organic carbon, which is released more slowly, or "inert" dissolved carbon, which can remain in the biosphere for an unknown period of time.

This can be a very vital aspect to have in life as it will work to promote all kinds of living things to co-exist within an ecosystem. The role of Carbon within a Terrestrial Ecosystem consists of Carbon being stored within plants which will eventually be deposited in other forms for other organisms to absorb and consume.