Carbon Carbon Carbon Content Geologists study carbon content in sediments as a way of estimating primary productivity and the abundance of plant life. In this sense, carbon content is a proxy for past productivity.
Animals add some carbon to sediments but it is usually a small amount compared to that from plants.
We rely on our understanding of the carbon cycle to make accurate interpretations of sedimentary carbon changes. For instance, we know that when nutrients are abundant during the growing season, both land and aquatic plants develop lush growth. Often, higher carbon levels in the sediment means there were more plants. Lakes with differing nutrient availability are categorized by their productivity. One of the interesting geological features of Bear Lake is that it is currently generating aragonite , a rare form of calcium carbonate in surface sediments.