Olivia wrote a few steps to describe how carbon circulates between the atmosphere and the land.
Step 1. Carbon is released into the atmosphere by the burning of fossil fuels.
Step 2. Carbon is absorbed by plants in the process of photosynthesis.
Step 3. Carbon is stored in plants and stored in the soil when they die.

If step 2 is removed, which statement best describes the effects of this missing step on the carbon cycle?