Science
Carbon storage (sequestration) occurs in forests and soils primarily
through the natural process of photosynthesis. Atmospheric carbon dioxide
(CO2) is taken up through tiny openings in leaves and incorporated
as carbon into the woody biomass of trees and agricultural crops. Roughly
half of this biomass is carbon. Some of this carbon makes its way into
soils when vegetation, litter and roots decay. Carbon in forests and soils
can return to the atmosphere as CO2 when agricultural tillage
practices stir up soils or when biomass decays and burns. Forests and
agricultural soils can therefore act as either a net carbon sink or source.
The movement of carbon in and out of trees and soils is part of the Earth's
global carbon cycle.
This section of the Web site provides a basic description overview of
these carbon processes at two scales:
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