koltvísýringshringrásinni

The koltvísýringshringrásinni, or carbon cycle, is the biogeochemical cycle by which carbon is exchanged among the biosphere, pedosphere, geosphere, hydrosphere, and atmosphere of the Earth. It is one of the most important of the biogeochemical cycles. The term "koltvísýringshringrásinni" refers to the movement of carbon, specifically in the form of carbon dioxide, through these different Earth systems.

Carbon exists in the atmosphere primarily as carbon dioxide, but also as methane and other trace gases. Plants absorb carbon dioxide from the atmosphere through photosynthesis, incorporating it into organic compounds. This organic carbon is then transferred to animals when they consume plants. When organisms die, decomposers break down their organic matter, releasing carbon back into the atmosphere as carbon dioxide.

A significant portion of carbon is stored in the Earth's crust and oceans. The oceans act as a major carbon sink, absorbing vast amounts of atmospheric carbon dioxide. This carbon can be dissolved in seawater or incorporated into marine organisms and their shells. Over geological timescales, carbon can be buried and transformed into fossil fuels or sedimentary rocks. Volcanic activity and human activities, such as the burning of fossil fuels, release this stored carbon back into the atmosphere, influencing the global carbon balance. The koltvísýringshringrásinni is a dynamic system constantly responding to natural processes and human influence.