Final answer:
Forests in the Devonian developed into the Carboniferous and influenced the global CO2 record by reducing carbon dioxide levels and increasing oxygen levels.
Step-by-step explanation:
The development of forests in the Devonian into the Carboniferous influenced the global CO2 record by removing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and storing it in the form of coal deposits. During the Carboniferous period, extensive swamp forests of club mosses and horsetails covered most of the land, and these forests gave rise to the massive coal deposits that we find today. As a result, the levels of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere were reduced, leading to an increase in the levels of oxygen.