<P> The terrestrial biosphere includes the organic carbon in all land - living organisms , both alive and dead , as well as carbon stored in soils . About 500 gigatons of carbon are stored above ground in plants and other living organisms , while soil holds approximately 1,500 gigatons of carbon . Most carbon in the terrestrial biosphere is organic carbon , while about a third of soil carbon is stored in inorganic forms , such as calcium carbonate . Organic carbon is a major component of all organisms living on earth . Autotrophs extract it from the air in the form of carbon dioxide , converting it into organic carbon , while heterotrophs receive carbon by consuming other organisms . </P>
where can carbon be found in the biosphere
plants other living organisms soil