One way in which deforestation contributes to global climate change is that the conversion of forest to cropland or pasture ____.  

A) decreases the amount of methane released by microbes
B) increases the amount of nitrogen oxides in the air
C) decreases the amount of sulfur dioxides in the air
D) increases the rate at which carbon is taken up by plants
E) decreases the rate at which carbon is taken up by plants