Based on information in the “Help From Kelp” section, why do marine kelp forests likely outperform land forests in removing CO₂ from the atmosphere? Choose all that apply.
A. Because they grow faster, kelp forests absorb CO₂ from the atmosphere at a faster rate than an equal acreage of trees.
B. There are more kelp forests in all the oceans than there are tree forests on all the continents of the world.
C. Kelp lives much longer than trees, so it holds onto its absorbed CO₂ for a longer period than trees do.
D. The CO₂ from decaying kelp forests gets trapped, while the CO₂ from trees is quickly returned to the atmosphere.
E. Marine animals that live in the kelp forests consume the CO₂ that is absorbed by the underwater kelp forests.
Based on information in the “Help From Kelp” section, why do marine kelp forests likely outperform land forests in removing CO₂ from the atmosphere? Choose all that apply.
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The correct answer is:
A. Because they grow faster, kelp forests absorb CO₂ from the atmosphere at a faster rate than an equal acreage of trees.
D. The CO₂ from decaying kelp forests gets trapped, while the CO₂ from trees is quickly returned to the atmosphere.
Explanation:
Kelp forests can grow rapidly, allowing them to absorb CO₂ more quickly compared to land forests of equal size. Additionally, when kelp dies and decays, much of the CO₂ can become trapped in the ocean, whereas the CO₂ from decaying trees is often released back into the atmosphere relatively quickly. This combination makes kelp forests effective at reducing atmospheric CO₂ levels.