FAQs Land Use & Agriculture While they are growing plants take
carbon dioxide out of the air, release the oxygen and store the
carbon. When they die and rot or burn the carbon is released
back into the air. It is possible to increase the amount of
carbon locked up at any one time by increasing the amount of
living biomass in existence- for example by planting forests.
While these are growing they are a carbon ‘sink’- removing
carbon dioxide from the air. Over time a new equilibrium level
will be reached, at which stage they become a carbon reservoir.
It is also possible to increase the amount of carbon locked up
by interrupting the cycle half way through and preventing the
dead biomass from rotting or burning, for example by turning
wood into preserved human artefacts. In this form sequestered
carbon can accumulate over time. A lot of carbon from plants is
also stored below ground in soils. It is sometimes possible to
increase the amount of carbon stored in soils by changing land
management practices, but as