Factors driving change in magnitude of carbon stores: flows and transfers at plant, sere and continental scales
Carbon moves between stores in different amounts depending on the scale you examine. Plants, ecosystems, and whole continents each control how much carbon moves and where it goes.
Real World
The Amazon rainforest absorbs roughly 2 billion tonnes of CO₂ per year through photosynthesis at the continental scale, but severe droughts in 2005 and 2010 reversed this, turning sections of the forest from a carbon sink into a net carbon source.
Exam Focus
Structure answers by scale — plant, sere, then continental — to show the examiner you understand how processes operate differently at each level.
Essay Framework
Use PEEL to structure every paragraph. Tap each step for guidance and an example.
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