The New Childrens Encyclopedia

A SHARED PLANET

59

THE CARBON CYCLE

Carbon is a vital element to all life on Earth. Its atoms move in

a natural cycle between land, water, and the atmosphere. Animals

and plants are part of that cycle. Many systems on Earth work in

a similar way, recycling vital ingredients such as nutrients, water,

and oxygen.

Carbon in the form of

oil and coal gives off

CO 2 when it is burned.

Numbers Small plants

grow quickly and produce

lots of seeds so they have

more chance of survival.

Lifestyle Pandas are only

found in small areas of

China where their main

food, bamboo, grows.

Cooperation Many plants

need insects to pollinate

them. The insect benefits

from their nectar.

Dominance Trees put more

effort into growing tall so

they can get more light and

nutrients than other plants.

FOOD CHAINS

All animals eat other living

things to get the nutrients they

need for energy and to build

their bodies. This energy starts

with sunlight, which is used by

plants and phytoplankton. This

is the start of a food chain,

where energy is transferred

from plants to a series of bigger

and more predatory animals.

 KRILL Billions

of these shrimplike

creatures feed on

plankton in the

cold polar seas.

 COD Fish

eat krill and

plankton in the

upper layers of

the ocean.

 SEAL Hungry

seals chase schools

of fish, such as

herring and

young cod.

 KILLER

WHALE

These large predatory

mammals eat seals.

 SUN The

energy that shines

down from the Sun

is absorbed by

phytoplankton.

 THE CRABS of Christmas Island will

cross roads, tennis courts, and golf courses

to get to the sea during the breeding season.

AND ECOLOGYENVIRONMENT

Carbon accumulates in

sediments when plankton die.

Plants take in CO 2 during

the day and emit it at night.

Dead plants can be

slowly compressed under

rock and turn into coal.

Burning gas from oil

deposits releases CO 2

Pumping oil

and gas releases

stored carbon.

Marine animals breathe

out CO 2 and release

carbon when they die.

Marine algae and

phytoplankton absorb

and release CO 2

CO 2 in rain

washes carbonates

out of rock.

Animals give

off CO 2 and

methane. Volcanoes

emit CO 2

Carbon

is washed

into lakes.