Releasing the Store
Releasing the Store is a Grade 7 science concept from Amplify Science (California) Chapter 4: Science Seminar on Deforestation, explaining how burning or decomposing cleared forests releases stored carbon directly into the atmosphere as CO2. This converts forests from carbon sinks to carbon sources, simultaneously releasing stored carbon and eliminating photosynthetic capacity.
Key Concepts
This process turns a carbon sink into a carbon source. The sudden release of stored carbon, combined with the loss of photosynthetic capacity, drives a rapid increase in atmospheric CO₂ concentrations.
Common Questions
How does deforestation release stored carbon?
When forests are cleared by burning or left to decompose, the carbon stored in wood and leaves is converted back to CO2 gas and released into the atmosphere. The larger and denser the forest, the more carbon is released.
What does it mean for a forest to be a carbon sink versus a carbon source?
A carbon sink is a system that absorbs more CO2 than it releases — healthy forests are sinks because photosynthesis removes CO2. A carbon source releases more CO2 than it absorbs — deforested areas become sources as stored carbon is released.
Why does deforestation create a double CO2 problem?
Deforestation causes a double increase in atmospheric CO2: first by releasing stored carbon from trees through burning or decay, and second by eliminating the photosynthetic capacity that was removing CO2 from the atmosphere.
What do Grade 7 students learn about carbon release and deforestation in Amplify Science?
In Chapter 4 of Amplify Science California Grade 7, students learn that deforestation converts forests from carbon sinks to sources, analyzing how both the release of stored carbon and the loss of photosynthesis drive atmospheric CO2 increases.