Carbon cycle

An important natural cycle that takes place on Earth and that encompasses the entire flow of carbon between the various reservoirs of the various compounds that contain it and each of the different components making up the climate system (atmosphere, hydrosphere, cryosphere, biosphere, and lithosphere). The emission into the atmosphere of carbon compounds from the burning of fossil fuels is altering this natural cycle, which is manifesting itself in perceptible changes in the aforementioned climate system, particularly in the atmosphere.