How much CO2 is stored by trees in the U.S.?
Forests and trees account for a majority (94%) of all estimated carbon uptake in the United States, mostly through forest restoration and tree-planting. Carbon uptake in soils on U.S. agricultural lands accounts for the remainder. Source: Climate Change: The Role for the U.S. Agriculture Sector (CRS Report to Congress). Author: Renee Johnson, Analyst in Agricultural Economics, Resources, Science, and Industry Division. March 2007. Q: What does melting permafrost have to do with CO2 ? A: Permafrost is frozen ground that contains roots and other soil organic matter that decompose extremely slowly. When it thaws, bacteria and fungi break down carbon contained in this organic matter much more quickly, releasing it to the atmosphere as carbon dioxide or methane, both greenhouse gases.
