The Rise of Plants and Their Effect on Weathering and Atmospheric CO 2
Abstract
The appearance of rooted plants during the Devonian period (400 to 360 million years ago) probably had a dramatic effect on atmospheric carbon dioxide levels and weathering of rock. As discussed in the Perspective by Berner, results presented in the same issue by Retallack (p. 583) show that well differentiated forest soils had developed by the Devonian, coinciding with a drop in carbon dioxide levels as deep-rooted vascular plants spread to upland areas.
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The substantial decreases in atmospheric CO2 over geological time, especially during the Devonian and more gradually since the Cretaceous, have largely been effected via the production of deep-rooted trees and the rise of angiosperms, respectively.
“Certainly it is recognized that the substantial ( possibly 10-or even 20-fold) decreases in atmospheric CO 2 over geological time, especially during the Devonian (416 .0 -359 . 2 Ma) and more gradually since the Cretaceous (145 .5-65 .5 Ma), have largely been effected via the production of deep-rooted trees and the rise of angiosperms, respectively (Mora et al., 1996;Berner, 1997;Berner and Kothav”
From Breeding crop plants with deep roots: their role in sustainable carbon, nutrient and water sequestration (2011) · cites this paper as Berner, 1997
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- Authors
- Berner, R. A.
- Affiliations
- Yale University (US)
- Corresponding author
- Berner, Robert A.
- Venue
- Science
- Published
- 1997-04-25
- Volume
- 276
- Issue
- 5312
- Pages
- 544-546
- ISSN
- 0036-8075 (ISSN-L)
- 1095-9203
- OpenAlex
- W1547007594
- Cited by
- 546
- References
- 16
- Citations by year
- 2026: 19 · 2025: 24 · 2024: 21 · 2023: 15 · 2022: 26 · 2021: 16 · 2020: 19 · 2019: 23 · 2018: 22 · 2017: 20 · 2016: 16 · 2015: 11 · 2014: 12 · 2013: 15 · 2012: 16
- FWCI
- 30.32
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Science (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Physical Sciences › Earth and Planetary Sciences › Paleontology › Paleontology and Stratigraphy of Fossils
- Life Sciences › Agricultural and Biological Sciences › Soil Science › Soil and Environmental Studies
- Physical Sciences › Earth and Planetary Sciences › Atmospheric Science › Geology and Paleoclimatology Research
- Keywords
- Devonian, vascular plants, plant evolution, atmospheric CO2, carbon cycle, chemical weathering, forest soils, paleoclimate, land colonization
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