Describe the stages of the carbon cycle.

Carbon dioxide in the atmosphere is taken up by producers via the process of photosynthesis to produce glucose. Some animal organisms consume the plants. Via the process of respiration, animals and plants break down the glucose and release the carbon back into the atmosphere as carbon dioxide. When organisms die, they are broken down by decomposers and the carbon is released via respiration as carbon dioxide back into the atmosphere. If decomposition is inhibited, in the future, they could be available as fossil fuels which via combustion, the carbon will be released into the atmosphere as carbon dioxide.