carbon cycle

Also known as carbon flux

biogeochemical cycle by which carbon is exchanged among the biosphere

AI overview

The carbon cycle is the process by which carbon moves between the air, living things, and Earth's systems through natural exchanges. Understanding this cycle matters because carbon is a fundamental element that flows through all life and the environment, affecting how ecosystems function.

AI-generated from the Wikipedia summary — may contain errors.

Research

42,929 papers

Carbon cycle of polyhydroxyalkanoates (CCP): Biosynthesis and biodegradation.ReviewEnvironmental research · 2025Zhang SQ, Yuan HZ, Ma X et al.DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2025.120904
The Four-Dimensional Carbon Cycle of the Southern Ocean.ReviewAnnual review of marine science · 2024Gray ARDOI: 10.1146/annurev-marine-041923-104057
Incorporation of polylactic acid microplastics into the carbon cycle as a carbon source to remodel the endogenous metabolism of the gut.Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America · 2025Bao L, Cui X, Zeng T et al.DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2417104122
The land-to-ocean loops of the global carbon cycle.ReviewNature · 2022Regnier P, Resplandy L, Najjar RG et al.DOI: 10.1038/s41586-021-04339-9
1-Carbon Cycle Metabolites Methylate Their Way to Fatty Liver.ReviewTrends in endocrinology and metabolism: TEM · 2017Walker AKDOI: 10.1016/j.tem.2016.10.004
Congo Basin Carbon Cycle Responses to Global Change.ReviewGlobal change biology · 2026Worden S, Fu R, Bloom AA et al.DOI: 10.1111/gcb.70688
Animals and the zoogeochemistry of the carbon cycle.ReviewScience (New York, N.Y.) · 2018Schmitz OJ, Wilmers CC, Leroux SJ et al.DOI: 10.1126/science.aar3213
The forest's nutrient cycle drives its carbon cycle.Tree physiology · 2022Körner CDOI: 10.1093/treephys/tpab170

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Wikidata facts

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Commons category: Carbon cycle

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Article

Carbon cycle schematic showing the movement of carbon between land, atmosphere, and oceans in billions of tons (gigatons) per year. Yellow numbers are natural fluxes, red are human contributions, and white are stored carbon. The effects of the slow (or deep) carbon cycle, such as volcanic and tectonic activity are not included.

The carbon cycle is a part of the biogeochemical cycle where carbon is exchanged among the biosphere, pedosphere, geosphere, hydrosphere, and atmosphere of Earth. Other major biogeochemical cycles include the nitrogen cycle and the water cycle. Carbon is the main component of biological compounds as well as a major component of many rocks such as limestone. The carbon cycle comprises a sequence of events that are key to making Earth capable of sustaining life. It describes the movement of carbon as it is recycled and reused throughout the biosphere, as well as long-term processes of carbon sequestration (storage) to and release from carbon sinks. At 422.7 parts per million (ppm), the global average atmospheric carbon dioxide has set a new record high in 2024.