Evolutionary rise of deep-rooting forests and enhanced chemical weathering: Quantitative investigations into the current paradigm
Lead Research Organisation:
CARDIFF UNIVERSITY
Department Name: School of Earth and Ocean Sciences
Abstract
The co-evolution and geographical spread of trees and deep-rooting systems is widely proposed to represent the 'Devonian engine' of global change that drove the weathering of soil minerals and biogeochemical cycling of elements to exert a major influence on the Earth's atmospheric CO2 history. If correct, this paradigm suggests the evolutionary appearance of forested ecosystems through the Devonian (418-360 Myr ago) constitutes the single most important biotic feedback on the geochemical carbon cycle to emerge during the entire 540 Myr duration of the Phanaerozoic. Crucially, no link has yet been established between the evolutionary advance of trees and their geochemical impacts on palaeosols. Direct evidence that one has affected the other is still awaited, largely because of the lack of cross-disciplinary investigations to date.
Our proposal addresses this high level 'earth system science' challenge. The overarching objective is to provide a mechanistic understanding of how the evolutionary rise of deep-rotting forests intensified weathering and pedogenesis that constitute the primary biotic feedbacks on the long-term C-cycle. Our central hypothesis is that the evolutionary advance of trees left geochemical effects detectable in palaeosols as forested ecosystems increased the quantity and depth of chemical energy transported into the soil through roots, mycorrhizal fungi and litter. This intensified soil acidification, increased the strength of isotopic and elemental enrichment in surface soil horizons, enhanced the weathering of Ca-Si and Ca-P minerals, and the formation of pedogenic clays, leading to long-term sequestration of atmospheric CO2 through the formation of marine carbonates with the liberated terrestrial Ca.
We will investigate this research hypothesis by obtaining and analysing well-preserved palaeosol profiles from a time sequence of localities in the eastern North America through the critical Silurian-Devonian interval that represents Earth's transition to a forested planet. These palaeosol sequences will then be subjected to targeted geochemical, clay mineralogical and palaeontological analyses. This will allow, for the first time, the rooting structures of mixed and monospecific Mid-Devonian forests to be directly linked to palaeosol weathering profiles obtained by drilling replicate unweathered profiles. Weathering by these forests will be compared with the 'control case' - weathering by pre-forest, early vascular land plants with diminutive/shallow rooting systems from Silurian and lower Devonian localities. These sites afford us the previously unexploited ability to characterize the evolution of plant-root-soil relationships during the critical Silurian-Devonian interval, whilst at the same time controlling for the effects of palaeogeography and provenance on palaeosol development. Applying geochemical analyses targeted at elements and isotopes that are strongly concentrated by trees at the surface of contemporary soils, and which show major changes in abundance through mineral weathering under forests, provides a powerful new strategy to resolve and reconstruct the intensity and depth of weathering and pedogenesis at different stages in the evolution of forested ecosystems.
The project is tightly focused on "improving current knowledge of the interaction between the evolution of life and the Earth", which represents one of the three high level challenges within NERC's Earth System Science Theme.
Our proposal addresses this high level 'earth system science' challenge. The overarching objective is to provide a mechanistic understanding of how the evolutionary rise of deep-rotting forests intensified weathering and pedogenesis that constitute the primary biotic feedbacks on the long-term C-cycle. Our central hypothesis is that the evolutionary advance of trees left geochemical effects detectable in palaeosols as forested ecosystems increased the quantity and depth of chemical energy transported into the soil through roots, mycorrhizal fungi and litter. This intensified soil acidification, increased the strength of isotopic and elemental enrichment in surface soil horizons, enhanced the weathering of Ca-Si and Ca-P minerals, and the formation of pedogenic clays, leading to long-term sequestration of atmospheric CO2 through the formation of marine carbonates with the liberated terrestrial Ca.
We will investigate this research hypothesis by obtaining and analysing well-preserved palaeosol profiles from a time sequence of localities in the eastern North America through the critical Silurian-Devonian interval that represents Earth's transition to a forested planet. These palaeosol sequences will then be subjected to targeted geochemical, clay mineralogical and palaeontological analyses. This will allow, for the first time, the rooting structures of mixed and monospecific Mid-Devonian forests to be directly linked to palaeosol weathering profiles obtained by drilling replicate unweathered profiles. Weathering by these forests will be compared with the 'control case' - weathering by pre-forest, early vascular land plants with diminutive/shallow rooting systems from Silurian and lower Devonian localities. These sites afford us the previously unexploited ability to characterize the evolution of plant-root-soil relationships during the critical Silurian-Devonian interval, whilst at the same time controlling for the effects of palaeogeography and provenance on palaeosol development. Applying geochemical analyses targeted at elements and isotopes that are strongly concentrated by trees at the surface of contemporary soils, and which show major changes in abundance through mineral weathering under forests, provides a powerful new strategy to resolve and reconstruct the intensity and depth of weathering and pedogenesis at different stages in the evolution of forested ecosystems.
The project is tightly focused on "improving current knowledge of the interaction between the evolution of life and the Earth", which represents one of the three high level challenges within NERC's Earth System Science Theme.
Planned Impact
Our proposed research project addresses this long-standing 'big science' question. We anticipate that our focused multidisciplinary project will, therefore, be the subject of considerable interest not only to a broad spectrum of the scientific community but also to the 'next generation' of researchers in Schools and Universities. Engaging younger generations is especially important as the Earth sciences receive very limited coverage in schools.
Deliverables.
The main deliverables of our project are open-access public archives of data and fossil plant/palaeosol materials, underpinned by methodological and data standards. These are likely to have impacts in both the academic and industrial sectors. A further major deliverable will be significant outreach activities aimed at inspiring and attracting young people into interdisciplinary scientific careers by showing how such activities shed new light on Earth's dynamic history.
Beneficiaries and specific users of this research.
Beneficiaries of the research will include a cross-disciplinary range of scientists from the international academic community, government funded research agencies, and stakeholders. These groups include geochemists, plant physiologists, mycologists, palaeontologists, Earth system modellers, and palaeoceanographers. Our new findings will benefit those sectors involved in the deep-time modelling of geochemical cycles, atmospheric composition and climate. Modellers will benefit from the first quantitative estimates of plant weathering during this critical period to better constrain our understanding of Earth's CO2 history. This diverse array of scientists will benefit from the provision of new data in a field that is traditionally been based on theoretical research rather than driven by empirical research findings.
Impacts will be achieved through :
(1) Dedicated Website. (2) Outreach activities in schools. (3) Outreach activities to the general public and (4) Outreach activities to graduate students in
i) Summer School. ii) MSc course. (5) Industry forum. We will demonstrate the potential applications of our data and materials archives to those involved in the hydrocarbon exploration and development industry.
See Pathways to Impact Plan.
Deliverables.
The main deliverables of our project are open-access public archives of data and fossil plant/palaeosol materials, underpinned by methodological and data standards. These are likely to have impacts in both the academic and industrial sectors. A further major deliverable will be significant outreach activities aimed at inspiring and attracting young people into interdisciplinary scientific careers by showing how such activities shed new light on Earth's dynamic history.
Beneficiaries and specific users of this research.
Beneficiaries of the research will include a cross-disciplinary range of scientists from the international academic community, government funded research agencies, and stakeholders. These groups include geochemists, plant physiologists, mycologists, palaeontologists, Earth system modellers, and palaeoceanographers. Our new findings will benefit those sectors involved in the deep-time modelling of geochemical cycles, atmospheric composition and climate. Modellers will benefit from the first quantitative estimates of plant weathering during this critical period to better constrain our understanding of Earth's CO2 history. This diverse array of scientists will benefit from the provision of new data in a field that is traditionally been based on theoretical research rather than driven by empirical research findings.
Impacts will be achieved through :
(1) Dedicated Website. (2) Outreach activities in schools. (3) Outreach activities to the general public and (4) Outreach activities to graduate students in
i) Summer School. ii) MSc course. (5) Industry forum. We will demonstrate the potential applications of our data and materials archives to those involved in the hydrocarbon exploration and development industry.
See Pathways to Impact Plan.
Organisations
People |
ORCID iD |
Christopher Berry (Principal Investigator) |
Publications
Berry C
(2015)
Lycopsid forests in the early Late Devonian paleoequatorial zone of Svalbard
in Geology
Gensel P
(2016)
Sporangial Morphology of the Early Devonian Zosterophyll Sawdonia ornata from the Type Locality (Gaspé)
in International Journal of Plant Sciences
Hetherington AJ
(2020)
Multiple origins of dichotomous and lateral branching during root evolution.
in Nature plants
Morris J
(2015)
Investigating D evonian trees as geo-engineers of past climates: linking palaeosols to palaeobotany and experimental geobiology
in Palaeontology
Stein W
(2021)
The classic mid-Devonian Eospermatopteris localities, Gilboa NY, USA
in Review of Palaeobotany and Palynology
Stein W
(2020)
Mid-Devonian Archaeopteris Roots Signal Revolutionary Change in Earliest Fossil Forests
in Current Biology
Stein W
(2023)
Rooting Portions of a Young Pseudosporochnalean from the Catskill Delta Complex of New York
in International Journal of Plant Sciences
Xu HH
(2017)
Unique growth strategy in the Earth's first trees revealed in silicified fossil trunks from China.
in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America
Description | We have established a detailed knowledge of the rooting systems of the three earliest tree types (Cladoxylopsids, Lycopsids, Archaeopteridaleans) which formed the earliest forests some 370 million years ago. We have established the growth patterns and development of one earliest tree type for which this was not known (Cladoxylopsids), and contributed to the understanding of the morphology of the other two. We have identified the spores (abundant dispersed reproductive structures) of two major types of early forests tree from New York State and Svalbard (Cladoxylopsids, Lycopsids), which, because of their abundance and recovery potential, can be used to track the migration of the early forests around the Devonian Earth (with partner award at Southampton University, NE/J00815X/1). We have contributed to the understanding of the structure of early forest ecology central to the geochemical and sedimentological studies, and objectives, of the partner award at Sheffield University (NE/J007471/1) |
Exploitation Route | We are engaged in developing displays about our findings for the Gilboa Town museum in Upstate New York, the New York State Museum Albany NY, and will try to do the same in Svalbard. |
Sectors | Creative Economy,Leisure Activities, including Sports, Recreation and Tourism,Culture, Heritage, Museums and Collections |
Description | The principal paper for my part of the work has now been published (Stein, Berry, Morris et al 2020) online in December 2019. There was an very high media interest in this story, with extensive articles on BBC, Guardian, CNN websites etc and local and international radio broadcasts. The current Almetric (1666) documents a sample of the activity associated with this publication. |
First Year Of Impact | 2019 |
Sector | Education,Culture, Heritage, Museums and Collections |
Impact Types | Cultural |
Description | National Geographic Exploration Europe |
Amount | € 19,000 (EUR) |
Funding ID | GEFNE167-16 |
Organisation | National Geographic |
Sector | Private |
Country | United States |
Start | 05/2016 |
End | 02/2017 |
Description | BBC Radio 5 Live interview |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A broadcast e.g. TV/radio/film/podcast (other than news/press) |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | A 25 minute interview about the Cairo fossil forest paper, prerecorded at 9.15pm on 19th December 2019 and broadcast at 2am on 20th December with Suzanne Courtney. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |
Description | BBC news website article |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A press release, press conference or response to a media enquiry/interview |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | Interview and advice for BBC new website article about the Cairo forest paper. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |
URL | https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-50840134 |
Description | CNN online news report |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A press release, press conference or response to a media enquiry/interview |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | Telephone interview to add to new story for CNN online (including photos and video) concerning the Cairo forest paper. As exemplar for numerous interviews and online news articles for this paper (Altmetric score 1666) |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |
URL | https://edition.cnn.com/2019/12/20/us/fossil-trees-new-york-worlds-oldest-trnd-scn/index.html |
Description | Extensive media coverage and interviews |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A magazine, newsletter or online publication |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | A wide selection of interviews in the scientific and daily press which has engendered much correspondence and goodwill, concerning PNAS paper on early tree growth. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2017 |
URL | https://pnas.altmetric.com/details/27840701/news |
Description | Guardian Newspaper interview, internet and print |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A press release, press conference or response to a media enquiry/interview |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | An interview to provide material for a Guardian newspaper article (2/3 page including large photograph), as an exemplar of substantial international press coverage of the paper about Cairo fossil forest. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |
URL | https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2019/dec/19/worlds-oldest-known-fossil-forest-found-in-new-y... |
Description | Interview for Smithsonian magazine online |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A magazine, newsletter or online publication |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | Interview for background information concerning the Cairo forest paper |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |
URL | https://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/385-million-year-old-fossils-reveal-worlds-oldest-fore... |
Description | Keynote: Berry, Christopher M.; Stein, William E.; Xu, Honghe; Wang, Yi; Marshall, John E.A. |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Other audiences |
Results and Impact | Summary of research on early forests as Kenote of a symposium on early forests |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2014 |
URL | http://geo.geoscienze.unipd.it/eppc2014/Program_August-2014_2.pdf |
Description | Leicester Literary and Philisophicalo Society Geology Section: Day Seminar Planet of the Plants |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Regional |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | Invited lecture - Devonian Transition to a forested planet |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2016 |
URL | http://www.charnia.org.uk/ |
Description | Live broadcast BBC world service radio |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A broadcast e.g. TV/radio/film/podcast (other than news/press) |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | Live radio interview about the Cairo forest paper on BBC world service radio, 'World Update' c. 10.15am Friday 20th December. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |
URL | https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/w172wy9yzl2m098 |
Description | Morris, J.L., Beerling, D.J,, Stein, W.E., Berry, C.M., Marshall, J.E.A., Wellman, C.H., Leake, J.R., 2014. Early forest soils from the Middle Devonian of New York State. Oral presentation, 9th European Palaeobotany and Palynology Conference, Padova, |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Study participants or study members |
Results and Impact | First international presentation of palaeosol rock cores drilled from a fossil forest in New York state- demonstrating rooting depth and pedogenic effects of trees in the Devonian era. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2014 |
URL | http://geo.geoscienze.unipd.it/eppc2014/Program_August-2014_2.pdf |
Description | Podcast (45 minutes) |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A broadcast e.g. TV/radio/film/podcast (other than news/press) |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | 45 minutes podcast discussion with well know plant-focussed podcast channel 'In Defense of Plants', based in NY USA, but listened to worldwide. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2020 |
URL | http://www.indefenseofplants.com/podcast/2020/2/23/ep-253-earths-first-forests |
Description | Radio Interview (27 minutes) |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A broadcast e.g. TV/radio/film/podcast (other than news/press) |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | 27 minute interview for widely distributed Canadian radio show and podcast 'Radio Ecoshock'. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2017 |
URL | https://www.ecoshock.org/2017/11/things-ripping-apart-to-grow.html |
Description | Radio Interview (30 minutes) |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A broadcast e.g. TV/radio/film/podcast (other than news/press) |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | Radio Interview for full 30 minute episode of 'Science Cafe' with Adam Walton, BBC Radio Wales |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2017 |
URL | https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b09cz5qz |
Description | School Visit (Cardiff) |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Local |
Primary Audience | Schools |
Results and Impact | Talk to 60 scholoarship students throughout the secondary school years. Presentation and lively discussion about the long term geological record of CO2 and climate change vs the short term record where current teaching and debate is focussed. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2016 |
Description | Tropical Devonian fossil forest from Arctic Norway |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A press release, press conference or response to a media enquiry/interview |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | Press release and subsequent worldwide dissemination of story about the Devonian lycopsid forests which grew on the equator in the Devonian but now found in Arctic Norway due to continental drift. This caught the public bloggers imagination and went worldwide. A large story in the Daily Mail Online is typical. Many media questions were answered. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2015 |
URL | http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-3325616/Fossilised-FOREST-Norway-380-million-year-old... |