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What is carbon called when it has been removed from the atmosphere for a very long time?
carbon sequestration, the long-term storage of carbon in plants, soils, geologic formations, and the ocean. Carbon sequestration occurs both naturally and as a result of anthropogenic activities and typically refers to the storage of carbon that has the immediate potential to become carbon dioxide gas.
What effect does a high carbon level have on the deep ocean?
High concentrations of carbon dioxide make it harder for marine animals to respire (to extract oxygen from seawater). This, in turn, makes it harder for these animals to find food, avoid predators, and reproduce.
How is carbon removed from the atmosphere?
Photosynthesis removes carbon dioxide naturally — and trees are especially good at storing carbon removed from the atmosphere by photosynthesis. These dynamics make restoring and managing existing forests, and adding trees to ecologically appropriate lands outside of farmland, especially important.
What is a biological carbon?
Biological carbon sequestration is the storage of carbon dioxide in vegetation such as grasslands or forests, as well as in soils and oceans.
How does carbon go from the ocean to the atmosphere?
Carbon moves from fossil fuels to the atmosphere when fuels are burned. When humans burn fossil fuels to power factories, power plants, cars and trucks, most of the carbon quickly enters the atmosphere as carbon dioxide gas. The oceans, and other bodies of water, absorb some carbon from the atmosphere.
What will happen if the levels of CO2 in the atmosphere continue to increase?
Rising carbon dioxide concentrations will increase plant growth. More rapid leaf area development and more total leaf area could translate into more transpiration. Rising carbon dioxide concentrations will decrease leaf stomatal conductance to water vapor. This effect could reduce transpiration.
How does most carbon get released into the atmosphere?
When humans burn fossil fuels to power factories, power plants, cars and trucks, most of the carbon quickly enters the atmosphere as carbon dioxide gas. Each year, five and a half billion tons of carbon is released by burning fossil fuels. Of this massive amount, 3.3 billion tons stays in the atmosphere.