Glossary
The English version of our glossary is currently under construction and will be regularly updated.
Organic carbon
Group of carbon compounds based on carbon-carbon or carbon-hydrogen bonds and which can be found in or are produced by living organisms.
Organic carbon encompasses compounds like carbohydrates, proteins, lipids and nucleic acids. Organic carbon plays an important part in a variety of biological processes, e.g. in energy production through cellular respiration and photosynthesis, in the formation of cells and tissues, and in the transfer of genetic information.
Organic carbon can be found in a range of settings, e.g. in soil, seawater, the atmosphere and in sediments. The concentration of organic carbon varies spatially and temporally and depends on numerous factors, e.g. on ecosystem productivity, nutrient availability, and on the types of organism.