Physical causes of change in the CC

• Wildfires: Transfer carbon from biosphere to atmosphere as CO₂ is released through burning. This burning can encourage the growth of plants in the long term. There is much debate about whether preventing wildfires is beneficial.
• Volcanic Activity: Carbon stored within the earth is released during volcanic eruptions, mainly as CO₂ gas. They contribute a relatively low proportion of CO₂ to the overall carbon cycle. The 1815 Mt Tambora eruption in Indonesia produced sulphur dioxide gas, which then entered the atmosphere, blocking radiation from the sun and lowering global temperatures by 0.4 - 0.7°C in 1816. In this way volcanoes can influence the carbon cycle by reducing photosynthesis rates, which will then also affect the water cycle.