Carbon Cycling in Natural and Managed Ecosystems: Recent Insights and Future Research Needs

Authors

  • Fei Wang

    Zhengzhou Yongfeng Biological Fertilizer Co., LTD., Zhengzhou 450001, China
  • Jian Wang

    Zhengzhou Yongfeng Biological Fertilizer Co., LTD., Zhengzhou 450001, China
  • Jia Wang

    Hainan Tianhu Application Technology Co., LTD., Haikou 571100, China
  • Fangfang Li

    Zhengzhou Yongfeng Biological Fertilizer Co., LTD., Zhengzhou 450001, China
  • Hongrui Zhang

    Zhengzhou Zhituo Biotechnology Co., LTD., Zhengzhou 450001, China

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.30564/jees.v8i6.13306
Received: 1 February 2026 | Revised: 29 April 2026 | Accepted: 6 May 2026 | Published Online: 17 June 2026

Abstract

Carbon cycling is an important factor in the climate regulation of the Earth as it regulates the exchange of carbon between the atmosphere, oceans, and soils, as well as living organisms on Earth. This review discusses the processes of carbon cycling in natural and managed ecosystems and identifies the processes of photosynthesis, respiration, decomposition, and soil carbon dynamics as the major processes. It looks at the effects of activities carried out by humans, such as agriculture, forestry, and urbanization, which affect carbon fluxes to improve or interfere with carbon sequestration. Recent technological changes, such as remote sensing, eddy covariance systems, and isotopic tracers, have enormously helped to monitor carbon dynamics over a greater scale and over a greater time extent. Also, new developments in modeling methods have enhanced the forecasts of carbon cycling in different environmental conditions. Nevertheless, many issues, such as the constraint in data, complexity of ecosystem interactions, and the requirement to know more about carbon feedbacks and non-linearities as climate changes persist. These issues should be solved by interdisciplinary research, biological innovations, and more comprehensive monitoring networks. Future studies should be aimed at the effects of extreme events on carbon processes, how well the ecosystem responds to the feedback, and how to apply the scientific results to policy and management tools. This will prove very important in curbing climate change and enhancing sustainable management of ecosystems.

Keywords:

Carbon Cycling; Ecosystems; Carbon Sequestration; Climate Change; Carbon Monitoring

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How to Cite

Wang, F., Wang, J., Wang, J., Li, F., & Zhang, H. (2026). Carbon Cycling in Natural and Managed Ecosystems: Recent Insights and Future Research Needs. Journal of Environmental & Earth Sciences, 8(6), 125–141. https://doi.org/10.30564/jees.v8i6.13306

Issue

Vol. 8 , Iss. 6 (June 2026)

Article Type

Review

License

Copyright © 2026 Fei Wang, Jian Wang, Jia Wang, Fangfang Li, Hongrui Zhang

Creative Commons License

This is an open access article under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International (CC BY-NC 4.0) License.

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