Sea grass is a key part of continental shelf ecosystems where phytoplankton produce carbonate sediment.
Over time these carbonate sediments form limestone which is the largest reservoir of carbon in the carbon cycle.
The carbonate sediments contain phosphate and are white to light olive gray.
In carbonate marine sediments, burial dissolution is a recognised mechanism of celestine precipitation.
The plankton die and settle to the ocean floor, forming carbonate sediments.
Dr. Kasting argues that if the plankton were removed from the cycle, carbonate sediments would still form.
Stylolites are commonly formed within carbonate sediments where cementation takes place early in the sediment's diagenetic history.
One common form of large-scale replacement in carbonate sediments is dolomitization (Fig. 5.40c, d).
A major part of carbon dioxide emissions were soon dissolved in water and built up carbonate sediments.
Deposition of carbonate sediments resumed and continued into the Triassic.