Plants play a key role in regulating the Earth’s climate: Study

Researchers have found that the arrival of plants on the land played a key role in regulating the Earth climate, revealed a study published in the journal Nature. The new findings found that the plant had arrived on land some 400 million years ago which made a drastic change in the Earth's atmosphere. According to the researcher-led by University College London and Yale University, while explaining the findings said that the carbon cycle-- the process through which carbon moves between rocks, living organisms, oceans, and the atmosphere-- has expanded largely after the arrival of land. It is the carbon cycle that acts as the Earth's natural thermostat, helps the temperature to retain for longer periods.

Clay also acts as a temperature reducer for Earth

The London-based researchers examined carbon samples from stones and found concrete evidence of variation in the Earth's climate. The researcher also noted that the chemistry of seawater has changed the global formation of clay. It noted that the clay which is formed in the ocean releases carbon dioxide in the climate whereas those formed on the surface of the land act as an absorbent of carbon dioxide gas. The clay cycle helps the atmosphere in reducing the amount of carbon dioxide that further helps the Earth in cooling the environment. The researchers also said that the arrival of plants help the soil and clay from being washed into the ocean and this also helps in maintaining a balance between carbon dioxide and other gases.  

Less carbon-rich atmosphere is more sensitive to change; Study

Senior author Dr Philip Pogge von Strandmann (UCL Earth Sciences) in its media report said, "The shift, which occurred gradually between 400 to 500 million years ago, appears to be linked to two major biological innovations at the time: the spread of plants on land and the growth of marine organisms that extract silicon from water to create their skeletons and cells walls." "Before this change, atmospheric carbon dioxide remained high, leading to a stable, greenhouse climate. Since then, our climate has bounced back and forth between ice ages and warmer periods. This kind of change promotes evolution and during this period the evolution of complex life accelerated, with land-based animals forming for the first time."

"A less carbon-rich atmosphere is also more sensitive to change, allowing humans to influence the climate more easily through the burning of fossil fuels," read the report. Moreover, the researchers claimed that the study received support from the European Research Council and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA).

(With inputs from UCL research paper)

(Image Credit: Pixabay)