1. step 1 a bird gets the carbon by eating the caterpillar. 2. step 2 the bird decomposes and the carbon returns to the atmosphere. 3. step 3 a caterpillar gets the carbon by eating the tree's leaves. 4. step 4 a tree absorbs the carbon from the atmosphere into its leaves for photosynthesis. 5. step 5 the bird flies into a building and dies instantly. it falls to the ground.