High potential for weathering and climate effects of non-vascular vegetation in the Late Ordovician

Porada, Philipp; Lenton, Timothy M.; Pohl, Alexandre; Weber, Bettina; Mander, Luke; Donnadieu, Yannick; Beer, Christian; Pöschl, Ulrich; Kleidon, Axel

doi:10.1038/ncomms12113

Cited by 88 publications

(95 citation statements)

References 68 publications

(111 reference statements)

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“…However, we estimate much higher global NPP (Fig. 2) and weathering potential (32). We also note that extensive shallow water phosphate deposits in the Late Ordovician (35) indicate a marked increase in phosphorus input to the ocean (20).…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 93%

“…We used a trait-based spatial model of cryptogamic vegetation (i.e., bryophyte and lichen) cover to estimate the potential global NPP of the early nonvascular plant biosphere (29,30). The Late Ordovician (445 Ma, Hirnantian stage) setup of the model is fully described elsewhere (32). The model is driven by existing Late Ordovician climate simulations (31), conducted at a range of different atmospheric CO 2 and O 2 concentrations.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Earliest land plants created modern levels of atmospheric oxygen

Lenton

Dahl

Daines

et al. 2016

Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A.

251

220

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The progressive oxygenation of the Earth's atmosphere was pivotal to the evolution of life, but the puzzle of when and how atmospheric oxygen (O 2 ) first approached modern levels (∼21%) remains unresolved. Redox proxy data indicate the deep oceans were oxygenated during 435-392 Ma, and the appearance of fossil charcoal indicates O 2 >15-17% by 420-400 Ma. However, existing models have failed to predict oxygenation at this time. Here we show that the earliest plants, which colonized the land surface from ∼470 Ma onward, were responsible for this mid-Paleozoic oxygenation event, through greatly increasing global organic carbon burialthe net long-term source of O 2 . We use a trait-based ecophysiological model to predict that cryptogamic vegetation cover could have achieved ∼30% of today's global terrestrial net primary productivity by ∼445 Ma. Data from modern bryophytes suggests this plentiful early plant material had a much higher molar C:P ratio (∼2,000) than marine biomass (∼100), such that a given weathering flux of phosphorus could support more organic carbon burial. Furthermore, recent experiments suggest that early plants selectively increased the flux of phosphorus (relative to alkalinity) weathered from rocks. Combining these effects in a model of long-term biogeochemical cycling, we reproduce a sustained +2‰ increase in the carbonate carbon isotope (δ 13 C) record by ∼445 Ma, and predict a corresponding rise in O 2 to present levels by 420-400 Ma, consistent with geochemical data. This oxygen rise represents a permanent shift in regulatory regime to one where fire-mediated negative feedbacks stabilize high O 2 levels.oxygen | Paleozoic | phosphorus | plants | weathering

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Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 93%

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Earliest land plants created modern levels of atmospheric oxygen

Lenton

Dahl

Daines

et al. 2016

Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A.

251

220

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

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“…This model is designed to predict lichen and bryophyte net primary productivity (NPP) in a process-based way from available light, surface temperature, atmospheric carbon dioxide concentration, and water content of lichens and bryophytes. Furthermore, it is applicable when estimating various impacts of lichens and bryophytes on biogeochemical cycles (Lenton et al, 2016;Porada et al, 2016bPorada et al, , 2017. The model includes a dynamic representation of the surface cover which depends on the balance of growth due to NPP and reduction by disturbance, such as fire (Porada et al, 2016a).…”

Section: The Land Surface Model Jsbachmentioning

confidence: 99%

Effects of short-term variability of meteorological variables on soil temperature in permafrost regions

et al. 2018

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Abstract. Effects of the short-term temporal variability of meteorological variables on soil temperature in northern high-latitude regions have been investigated. For this, a process-oriented land surface model has been driven using an artificially manipulated climate dataset. Short-term climate variability mainly impacts snow depth, and the thermal diffusivity of lichens and bryophytes. These impacts of climate variability on insulating surface layers together substantially alter the heat exchange between atmosphere and soil. As a result, soil temperature is 0.1 to 0.8 • C higher when climate variability is reduced. Earth system models project warming of the Arctic region but also increasing variability of meteorological variables and more often extreme meteorological events. Therefore, our results show that projected future increases in permafrost temperature and active-layer thickness in response to climate change will be lower (i) when taking into account future changes in short-term variability of meteorological variables and (ii) when representing dynamic snow and lichen and bryophyte functions in land surface models.

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“…Statistical analyses have served as the main means to deduce the impacts of various environmental factors on observed biocrust response in the majority of field and laboratory studies (Barger et al, 2006;Grote et al, 2010;Bowker et al, 2010a;Castillo-Monroy et al, 2011;Maestre et al, 2013). Process-based models have also been developed for biocrusts of lichens and mosses (Porada et al, 2013(Porada et al, , 2014(Porada et al, , 2016(Porada et al, , 2017. These studies estimate their contribution to the carbon uptake and nitrous oxide emissions on a global scale under various climatic conditions.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Hydration status and diurnal trophic interactions shape microbial community function in desert biocrusts

Kim

2017

Biogeosciences

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Abstract. Biological soil crusts (biocrusts) are selforganised thin assemblies of microbes, lichens, and mosses that are ubiquitous in arid regions and serve as important ecological and biogeochemical hotspots. Biocrust ecological function is intricately shaped by strong gradients of water, light, oxygen, and dynamics in the abundance and spatial organisation of the microbial community within a few millimetres of the soil surface. We report a mechanistic model that links the biophysical and chemical processes that shape the functioning of biocrust representative microbial communities that interact trophically and respond dynamically to cycles of hydration, light, and temperature. The model captures key features of carbon and nitrogen cycling within biocrusts, such as microbial activity and distribution (during early stages of biocrust establishment) under diurnal cycles and the associated dynamics of biogeochemical fluxes at different hydration conditions. The study offers new insights into the highly dynamic and localised processes performed by microbial communities within thin desert biocrusts.

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High potential for weathering and climate effects of non-vascular vegetation in the Late Ordovician

Cited by 88 publications

References 68 publications

Earliest land plants created modern levels of atmospheric oxygen

Earliest land plants created modern levels of atmospheric oxygen

Effects of short-term variability of meteorological variables on soil temperature in permafrost regions

Hydration status and diurnal trophic interactions shape microbial community function in desert biocrusts

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