Carbon Cycle vs. Phosphorus Cycle

Main Difference

The main difference between the carbon and phosphorus cycle is that the carbon cycle has its throughout interrelation with the atmosphere, whereas the phosphorus cycle does not have its interrelation with the atmosphere.

Difference Between Carbon Cycle and Phosphorus Cycle

Comparison Chart

Carbon Cycle vs. Phosphorus Cycle

The carbon cycle is the series in which the number of processes occurs through which carbon compounds are interchanged within the ecosystem, while phosphorus cycle is the series in which several processes occur through which phosphorus compounds are interchanged within the ecosystem. The interaction with the atmosphere occurs in the carbon cycle, whereas the interaction with the atmosphere does not occur in the phosphorus cycle. The carbon considers as the rapidly occurring process in the atmosphere; on the other hand, the phosphorus cycle considers as the slow, occurring process in the atmosphere.

By the process of respiration, the carbon cycle discharges carbon dioxide to the environment; on the contrary, there is no discharge of any kind of gaseous components to the environment. In the carbon cycle, its cycling poll is existing in the hydrosphere as well as in the atmosphere; conversely, in the phosphorus cycle, its cycling pool is existing only in the lithosphere. The kind of gaseous cycling is generally considering as the carbon cycle; on the flip side, the kind of sedimentary cycling is generally known as the phosphorus cycle.

Various of the main pools of carbon are oceans, atmosphere, and fossil fuels; on the other hand, some of the chief pools of phosphorus are calcium phosphate, which is present in rocks and ferric phosphate. In the carbon cycle, the atmospheric involvement of carbon by rainfall is considerable; conversely, atmospheric participation of phosphorus in the phosphorus cycle is negligible. Carbon could react with water to produce acid in the carbon cycle; on the flip side, in the phosphorus cycle, the phosphorus cannot react with water to form acid.

Carbon rotates as a gas in the atmosphere during the carbon cycle, whereas phosphorus could not cycle in the form of a gas in the atmosphere during the phosphorus cycle. In the carbon cycle, the carbon is going into the plants by their stomata, while in the phosphorus cycle, the phosphorus is taken up to plants by the soil. The gaseous exchange through the carbon cycle is great between organisms and their atmosphere; on the contrary, the gaseous exchange through the phosphorus cycle is considered negligible between organisms and their environment.

What is the Carbon Cycle?

The term carbon is used in the carbon cycle, which generally refers to the site in which several processes occur through which carbon compounds are interchanged within the ecosystem. Various of the main pools of carbon are oceans, atmosphere, and fossil fuels. Carbon is considering the second most plentiful component in our body after the production of water and creates approx — 50 percent of the dry weight of our body. Everything consists of carbon in their molecular structure.

In carbon cycle the atmospheric involvement of carbon by rainfall is considerable and the release of carbon dioxide which is then engaged by the organisms which carry out photosynthesis process such as algae and plants to form carbohydrates from carbon dioxide. The production of carbohydrates from carbon dioxide by photosynthetic organisms known as “photosynthesis.”

The formation of carbohydrate is then passed down through food chains to all the organisms; herbivores eat plants and grass for the food, and herbivores are eaten by carnivores as a food for them. All living organisms release carbon dioxide in the atmosphere as a waste material of their cellular respiration.

Additionally, once plants and animals are dead, their body is decomposed by decomposers such as bacteria, and then some amount of carbon is then released to the atmosphere by the decaying process of dead organisms in the form of carbon dioxide. Eventually, due to the burning of fossil fuels, the rest of the carbon is then released to the atmosphere. In the carbon cycle, its cycling poll is existing in the hydrosphere as well as in the atmosphere.

The carbon cycle can be disturbed by various human activities such as deforestation and pollution. Besides, the increased level of the burning of fossil fuels can cause global warming in the atmosphere, which causes several diseases in humans like skin infection, eye problems, etc.

What is the Phosphorus Cycle?

The phosphorus cycle is usually defined as the sequences in which several processes occur through which recycling of phosphorus compounds occurs and interchanged within the ecosystem. Phosphorus is one of the major life-forming compounds, and an important component for all living organisms as phosphorus is involved in the production of genetic materials, shells, bones, teethes, and biological membranes, etc.

Some of the chief pools of phosphorus are calcium phosphate, which is naturally present in rocks and ferric phosphate. The calcium phosphate, which is present in rocks, is dissolved in water and then normally uptake by pants.

Phosphorus also passes by the food chain through producing living structures of the organisms. Microbes that are present in the detritus food chains release only a little amount of phosphorus into the atmosphere. Atmospheric participation of phosphorus in the phosphorus cycle is negligible, but if atmospheric phosphorus is present in the atmosphere, then it causes acid rain.

Phosphorus could not cycle in the form of a gas in the atmosphere. In the phosphorus cycle, its cycling pool is existing only in the lithosphere. The kind of sedimentary cycling is generally known as the phosphorus cycle, so plants take up phosphorus through the soil.

Conclusion

The above discussion concludes that the carbon recycles the compounds of carbon, while phosphorus recycles compounds of phosphorus. Carbon considers as the rapidly occurring process; on the other hand, the phosphorus cycle considers as the slow, occurring process.