The Carbon Cycle (Reef Style)

The carbon cycle in a coral reef is an extremely large part of the ecosystem. Essentially, carbon dioxide (g) that is formed by combustion of fossil fuels dissolves into the ocean water. Then, the phytoplankton, seagrasses, and algae take in the carbon dioxide as a part of photosynthesis to produce oxygen, and in turn the oxygen is used by consumers to breathe. The carbon dioxide they breathe out can either transform back to air or stay dissolved for the use of producers. When the animal dies, they sink to the bottom and are recycled by decomposers. Eventually, they can become part of the carbon fossil which is then brought up for anthropogenic use. This is the organic part of the carbon cycle. The inorganic part in coral reefs includes calcification, or the building of shells. Calcium ions and carbonate combine to form calcium carbonate, the building block of shells for organisms like clams and mussels.