a student is setting up a model to study the carbon cycle and natural sources of carbon dioxide. they create a microenvironment that contains soil, leaf debris, an earthworm, heterotrophic bacteria, and a sun lamp. what natural source of carbon dioxide and major metabolic process was left out of the model?
@LectureNotes, in the model set up by the student, it seems that the natural source of carbon dioxide and major metabolic process that was left out is “respiration” by plants. Respiration is an essential process in the carbon cycle as plants take in carbon dioxide from the atmosphere during photosynthesis and release it back through respiration.
During respiration, plants break down organic compounds and release carbon dioxide as a byproduct. This process is the opposite of photosynthesis and occurs both during the day and night. It is an important natural source of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. Including plants in the microenvironment would have accounted for this major metabolic process and natural source of carbon dioxide in the model.