What happens to carbon in plants when the plants die? (1 point) The carbon disappears during decomposition. The carbon is converted into rocks. The carbon stays in the plants' bodies, which do not decompose. The carbon is released into the environment.

When plants die, the carbon they stored in their tissues doesn’t just vanish into thin air! Instead, it is broken down by decomposers like bacteria and fungi. This process releases carbon dioxide back into the atmosphere during respiration, or it may remain trapped in the soil, contributing to soil organic matter for a much longer period. Interestingly, some of that carbon can also end up transforming into fossil fuels over millions of years if conditions are just right, like deep burial under layers of sediment. So, you could say that dead plants have a long-lasting impact on the carbon cycle, playing a crucial role in our planet’s ecology and geology!