Carbon sequestration is part of the natural carbon cycle by which carbon is exchanged among the biosphere, pedosphere, geosphere, hydrosphere, and atmosphere of Earth.
Carbon dioxide is naturally captured from the atmosphere through biological, chemical or physical processes, and stored in long-term reservoirs.
Forests, kelp beds, and other forms of plant life absorb carbon dioxide from the air as they grow, and bind it into biomass. However, these biological stores are considered volatile carbon sinks as the long-term sequestration cannot be guaranteed. Events such as wildfires or disease, economic pressures and changing political priorities can result in the sequestered carbon being released back into the atmosphere.