IELTS Reading: Summary Completion (from a list)

Verilen listeden doğru kelimeyi seçerek özet tamamlama.

Forests and the Global Carbon Cycle

Forests cover approximately 31% of the Earth's land surface and play a foundational role in regulating the global climate. Through photosynthesis, trees and other vegetation absorb carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and store the carbon in their biomass — trunks, branches, roots, and leaves — and in the soil. Collectively, the world's forests store an estimated 861 gigatonnes of carbon, more than the total amount of carbon currently in the atmosphere. This carbon storage function means that intact forests act as a significant brake on the accumulation of greenhouse gases. However, forests are not only carbon stores; they are also sources of carbon emissions when disturbed or destroyed. Deforestation — the permanent clearance of forest for agriculture, urban development, or resource extraction — is the most significant form of forest loss and is estimated to account for approximately 10-15% of global annual carbon dioxide emissions. When trees are felled and burned, or left to decompose, the carbon they have accumulated over decades or centuries is released rapidly back into the atmosphere. The relationship between forests and climate is complicated by feedback loops. As global temperatures rise, forests in many regions are experiencing more frequent and more intense wildfires, droughts, and pest infestations, all of which reduce their capacity to absorb carbon. Research published in Nature in 2020 found that the Amazon rainforest, historically one of the most important carbon sinks on Earth, had been emitting more carbon than it was absorbing in parts of the eastern and southeastern Amazon, largely due to deforestation and climate-stress interactions. Some models project that continued deforestation and warming could push the Amazon towards a 'savannisation' tipping point — a large-scale transition from rainforest to dry savanna ecosystem — with irreversible consequences. Afforestation and reforestation — planting trees in areas that were formerly deforested or that never had forest cover — are widely promoted as climate mitigation strategies. Their effectiveness is, however, context-dependent: newly planted forests store relatively little carbon initially, monoculture plantations of fast-growing species provide fewer ecological benefits than natural multi-species forests, and in some high-latitude regions, dark forest canopies can increase the absorption of solar radiation (reducing the albedo effect), potentially offsetting some of the carbon gain.

Complete the summary using the words (A–H) from the box below. Word box: A deforestation B carbon C biomass D temperature E feedback F savannisation G albedo H reforestation

Kelime Kutusu

A – deforestationB – carbonC – biomassD – temperatureE – feedbackF – savannisationG – albedoH – reforestation

Forests absorb CO₂ and store ? in their trunks, roots, and in the soil. ___ — permanent forest clearing for agriculture or development — accounts for 10–15% of global annual CO₂ emissions. The carbon stored in trees over decades is released when trees are removed and their ___ decays or burns. Climate change creates ___ loops in which warming weakens forests and leads to further carbon release. Research suggests part of the Amazon may be moving towards ___ — a shift from rainforest to dry savanna. ___ and afforestation are promoted as climate mitigation strategies, but their effectiveness varies with context. In high-latitude regions, dark forest canopies may reduce the ___ effect and absorb more solar heat, potentially offsetting carbon gains.

Soru 1

Forests absorb CO₂ and store ... in their trunks, roots, and in the soil.