The marsh gentian is an example of a species having benefited from initiatives to restore nature’s carbon sinks. Since emissions did not actually begin to decrease until the 2030s, we had to capture carbon from the atmosphere.
An important initiative in that strategy has been to reintroduce grazing in wetlands and moist meadows that used to be overgrow — and it is on this kind of land that the pretty marsh gentian flourishes.
Wetland: Land that is underwater for most of the year. Wetlands contribute to several ecosystem services. They store nutrients and carbon, filter water and reduce the risk of flooding.
Carbon sink: When a carbon store increases during a given year; for example, by a forest growing, sedimentation of the ocean floor or peat storage in wetlands.
This text is part of the future scenario and study material Beyond the Fossil Era.
