Mountain building results in high erosion rates and the interaction of rocks with the atmosphere, water and life. Carbon transfers that result from increased erosion could control the evolution of Earth’s long-term climate. For decades, attention has focused on the hypothesized role of mountain building in drawing down atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO₂) via silicate weathering. However, it is now recognized that mountain building and erosion affect the carbon cycle in other important ways. For example, erosion mobilizes organic carbon (OC) from terrestrial vegetation, transferring it to rivers and sediments, and thereby acting to draw down atmospheric CO₂ in tandem with silicate weathering. Meanwhile, exhumation of sedimentary rocks can release CO₂ through the oxidation of rock OC and sulfide minerals. In this Review, we examine the mechanisms of carbon exchange between rocks and the atmosphere, and discuss the balance of CO₂ sources and sinks. It is demonstrated that OC burial and oxidative weathering, not widely considered in most models, control the net CO₂ budget associated with erosion. Lithology strongly influences the impact of mountain building on the global carbon cycle, with an orogeny dominated by sedimentary rocks, and thus abundant rock OC and sulfides, tending towards being a CO₂ source.

山区建筑会导致较高的侵蚀率以及岩石与大气，水和生命的相互作用。侵蚀增加导致的碳转移可以控制地球长期气候的演变。几十年来，注意力一直集中在山区建筑在通过硅酸盐风化降低大气中二氧化碳（CO ₂）的假设作用上。但是，现在已经认识到，山区建设和侵蚀会以其他重要方式影响碳循环。例如，侵蚀从陆地植被中调动了有机碳（OC），将其转移到河流和沉积物中，从而与硅酸盐风化同时吸收大气中的CO ₂。同时，挖掘沉积岩可以释放CO _2。通过岩石中OC和硫化物的氧化。在本综述中，我们研究了岩石与大气之间的碳交换机制，并讨论了CO ₂源和汇的平衡。事实证明，在大多数模型中并未广泛考虑的OC埋葬和氧化风化能控制与侵蚀相关的净CO ₂收支。岩性强烈影响着山体建设对全球碳循环的影响，造山运动以沉积岩为主，因此岩石中的大量OC和硫化物趋于成为CO ₂来源。