Explain the importance of fluxes in the carbon cycle (6 marks)

Fluxes are important for the carbon cycle as they keep a balance within the cycle so that their isn't an unbalance. An unbalance in the carbon cycle would lead to a lack of resources in some places due to a lack of carbon dioxide to use in processes such as photosynthesis. During photosynthesis, carbon dioxide is taken in to plants and oxygen is released which helps to remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and prevents the thickening of the ozone layer which leads to global warming. With deforestation increasing it means that there is a lack of trees to act as a carbon store and remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. Instead the carbon dioxide remains in the atmosphere and contributes to climate change and the land where the forest once stood becomes dry shrub and grassland. The dry shrub and grassland then acts as kindling and starts wildfires which contributes even more carbon dioxide to the atmosphere instead of removing it. This shows the importance of fluxes as if carbon didn't move about in fluxes then it would result in more carbon dioxide being contributed to the atmosphere instead