Hilbert says that the ecosystem feedbacks in global climate models are based on short term processes such as carbon
fixation by photosynthesis or decomposition, whereas in the longer term stocks of carbon are controlled by tree demographic processes.
Looking at the carbon
fixation - organic material decomposition as a linked process, one sees that some of the carbon fixed
by photosynthesis and incorporated into plant tissue is perhaps delayed from returning to the atmosphere until it is oxidised
by decomposition or fire.