Tropical rain forests receive as much as 450 cm of rain per year. They are the richest biome in terms of number of species. Which statement best explains how destruction of tropical rain forests could affect the carbon cycle? (SC.912.L.17.9)

Question

Tropical rain forests receive as much as 450 cm of rain per year. They are the richest biome in terms of number of species. Which statement best explains how destruction of tropical rain forests could affect the carbon cycle? (SC.912.L.17.9)
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1 point
Destroying rain forest trees would cause carbon dioxide levels in the atmosphere to drop dangerously low.
A loss of rain forest trees would have only a small effect on the carbon cycle, because they are green all year long.
Rain forest destruction would cause only a small increase in carbon dioxide levels if the roots were left to remove carbon dioxide from the air.
Cutting down rain forests could increase atmospheric carbon dioxide levels, because trees that could take up carbon dioxide would be removed.

GPT-4o mini · Answer

The statement that best explains how destruction of tropical rain forests could affect the carbon cycle is:

Cutting down rain forests could increase atmospheric carbon dioxide levels, because trees that could take up carbon dioxide would be removed.

This statement accurately reflects the role of trees in the carbon cycle. Trees absorb carbon dioxide during photosynthesis, and their removal would lead to increased levels of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, contributing to climate change.