Which of the following is mainly used to meet with the deficit which occurs due to an imbalance in the rate of influx and efflux of carbon in the atmosphere?

Options

A. Fossil fuels
B. Oceans
C. Microbes
D. Rock

Answer

To solve the question regarding which entity mainly meets the deficit caused by an imbalance in the influx and efflux of carbon in the atmosphere, we can follow these steps:

### Step-by-Step Solution:

1. **Understanding Carbon Deficit**:
- The question refers to a scenario where there is a shortage of carbon in the atmosphere. This deficit can occur due to various reasons, such as reduced carbon emissions or increased absorption by plants and oceans.

2. **Identifying Carbon Reservoirs**:
- Carbon is stored in various reservoirs, including the atmosphere, oceans, terrestrial ecosystems (like forests), fossil fuels, and geological formations (like rocks).

3. **Analyzing Carbon Composition**:
- It is known that a significant portion of carbon is found in different forms. For instance, living organisms consist of a substantial amount of carbon, but when considering global carbon storage, we need to look at larger reservoirs.

4. **Global Carbon Distribution**:
- According to the information provided, about 71% of the global carbon is found in dissolved form in the oceans. This is a crucial point because it indicates that oceans play a significant role in carbon storage.

5. **Comparing Options**:
- The options provided may include fossil fuels, microbes, rocks, and oceans.
- Fossil fuels do store carbon, but they are not the largest reservoir. Microbes contribute to carbon but not in large quantities. Rocks also store carbon, but again, not as significantly as oceans.

6. **Conclusion**:
- Given that oceans hold the largest amount of dissolved carbon (71% of the global carbon), they serve as the main reservoir to meet the carbon deficit in the atmosphere.

### Final Answer:
- **Oceans** are mainly used to meet the deficit caused by an imbalance in the influx and efflux of carbon in the atmosphere.

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