Physical Processes
The Carbon Cycle
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The carbon cycle is the exchange of carbon among the atmosphere, oceans, land and living things, running through a fast biological pathway that can complete within years and a slow geological pathway that can take millions of years.
Facts
Process TypeThe live process-type vocabulary has no dedicated biogeochemical-cycle value; climatic is the nearest fit, since the carbon cycle governs the climate system the way the existing climatic-tagged desertification process does. Flagged as a vocabulary gap in the wave report rather than reworked here. TimescaleFast biological cycling completes within years; slow geological cycling, moving carbon through rock, soil, ocean and atmosphere, can take millions of years. 1 Cross-Tradition Connections
Sources
1. Carbon Cycle (Wikipedia)
Wikimedia FoundationLeadQuote, Lead
Fast cycles can complete within years, moving substances from atmosphere to biosphere, then back to the atmosphere.
1. Carbon Cycle (Wikipedia)
Wikimedia FoundationBodyQuote, Body
Slow or geological cycles (also called deep carbon cycle) can take millions of years to complete, moving substances through the Earth's crust between rocks, soil, ocean and atmosphere.
Amazon Basin (Wikipedia)
Wikimedia FoundationDemonstrated By: The Amazon Basin, Climate change sectionQuote, Demonstrated By: The Amazon Basin, Climate change section
In a typical year, the Amazon absorbs 1.5 gigatons of carbon dioxide; during 2005 instead 5 gigatons were released.
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