As plants and trees grow, photosynthesisΓÇôinvolving the interaction of sunlight, chlorophyll in green leaves, carbon dioxide, and waterΓÇôresults in a net removal of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and the release of oxygen as a by-product. Also, moisture is released to the air through evapotranspiration.
When forests die and decay, or are burned, the biomass is oxidized and carbon dioxide is returned to the atmosphere.
