Question

Can you differentiate between the carbon and the phosphorus cycle?

Answer 1

Part 1: Type of cycle
Carbon cycles are a type of gaseous cycling while phosphorus cycles are a type of sedimentary cycling.

Part 2: Reservoir
Rocks containing the phosphorus are the reservoirs of phosphorus cycles. In the carbon cycle, ocean, fossil fuels and atmosphere are the reservoirs.

Part 3: Components

• Water is the main component that helps in mobilisation of the minerals in the rocks in the phosphorus cycle whereas in the carbon cycle, carbon dioxide is added into and removed from the atmosphere by biotic components (plants and animals).
• Carbon cycle interacts with the atmosphere whereas phosphorus cycle does not interact with the atmosphere.

Part 4: Process
In the phosphorus cycle:

• Plants receive the phosphorus in the soil solution.
• They get eaten by the consumers and when both of them decompose the soil they get back into soil solution.

In the carbon cycle:

• Carbon in the form of carbon dioxide is added to the atmosphere through combustion of fossil fuels, burning of forest fuels, respiration and decomposition.
• Carbon dioxide is fixed by plants through the process of photosynthesis.