Question

Explain what is included in the Biosphere and how it affects the Carbon Cycle

Answer 1

In the biosphere, carbon is found stored in plants and trees. During photosynthesis, plants use atmospheric carbon dioxide to create the components of food. Ocean water and lakes contain dissolved carbon from the hydrosphere.

Answer 2

The biosphere is made up of the parts of Earth where life exists—all ecosystems. The biosphere extends from the deepest root systems of trees, to the dark environments of ocean trenches, to lush rain forests, high mountaintops, and transition zones like this one, where ocean and terrestrial ecosystems meet. The biosphere affects the Carbon Cycle because in the food chain, plants move carbon from the atmosphere into the biosphere through photosynthesis. They use energy from the sun to chemically combine carbon dioxide with hydrogen and oxygen from water to create sugar molecules.