The green cover in India has absorbed more carbon than it emitted annually in the last decade, but the rate of sequestration declines during extreme climate events such as drought, a study has revealed. The study by researchers at the Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER), Bhopal, also stressed the critical role of vegetation in climate change mitigation and adaptation. Green vegetation absorbs carbon dioxide (CO2) from the atmosphere through photosynthesis and releases it back into the air through respiration. The overall balance between this uptake and release of CO2 is known as the net ecosystem exchange (NEE). “When the NEE is positive, it means vegetation is releasing more carbon than it absorbs, and when it’s negative, it indicates that the vegetation is effectively storing carbon,” said Dhanyalekshmi Pillai, associate professor. Source: https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/