Carbon dioxide in Earth's atmosphere satellite to successfully achieve orbit in 2009. NASA's OCO-2 launched in 2014 was the second. Various other satellites missions to measure atmospheric X are planned. Carbon dioxide in Earth's atmosphere Carbon dioxide () is an important trace gas in Earth's atmosphere. It is an integral part of the carbon cycle, a biogeochemical cycle in which carbon is exchanged between the Earth's oceans, soil, rocks and the biosphere. Plants and other photoautotrophs use solar energy to produce carbohydrate from atmospheric carbon dioxide and water by photosynthesis. Almost all other organisms depend on carbohydrate derived from photosynthesis as their primary source of
Ocean storage of carbon dioxide However, organisms are not only affected by the acidification of water in the presence of heightened carbon dioxide (carbon dioxide) levels. carbon dioxide itself interacts with the physiological function of individual organisms. These effects are more damaging than those associated with changes in pH of environment. When carbon dioxide enters organisms, through diffusion across tissue, it becomes internally accumulated which can then cause anesthesia and, depending on the concentration of carbon dioxide, death. The internal accumulation will also cause organisms to experience blood acidification. This weakens organisms' ability to uptake oxygen and consequently weakens their performances. This effect is more