Plant Atmosphere Interactions

What is an example of plant atmosphere interactions at the cellular level?

evolution of biochemical pathways

What is an example of plant atmosphere interactions at the whole plant level?

CO2 in evolution of leaves

What is an example of plant atmosphere interactions at the ecosystem level?

CO2 levels changing and its role in extinction

What is an example of plant atmosphere interactions at the biosphere level?

greening of earth

What are the main methods of reconstructing the past?

Using the fossil record/biochemical record to study evolutionary changes over time or measuring similarity/dissimilarity with living organisms to infer evolutionary pathways

Compression/impression fossils

form in a variety of freshwater/brackish/marine environments, sediment to cover quickly, subsequent layers of sediment result in compaction and water is driven out of the original plant material/becomes progressively flat, leaving behind a thin layer of carbonaceous film that preserves morphological features

permineralization

mineral charge water infiltrates plant tissue and makes it a rock, preserves biological processes, different types of permineralization based on chemical composition of charged water

paper shales

unique locality, fossils preserved in diatomaceous mats, layers of diatoms alternating with clay

charcoalification

incomplete combustion of plant material leaving a 3D preservation

unaltered plant remains

occurs during rapid burial, limited microbial activity, and dehydration

taphonomy

branch of palaeontology which studies the factors involved in the transformation of living communities to a collection of fossils representing that communities. asks the question if the fossil record provides and accurate representation of past vegetation

What are some taphonomic factors?

life strategy, depositional environment, plant organs have different preservation potential, distance plant organ has travelled

R strategist

Organisms that reproduce quickly, produce many offspring, exploit ephemeral environments, and often do not invest much care in their offspring.

K strategist

Organisms that reproduce later in life, produce fewer offspring, provide greater parental care, and typically thrive in stable environments.

authochthonous

Organisms or materials that originate in the same environment where they are found, often indicating local ecological interactions

parautochthnous

Organisms or materials that originate from a nearby environment, often reflecting interactions between local and external ecological factors

allochthnous

Organisms or materials that originate from a distant environment, highlighting the influence of external factors on local ecosystems

catastrophic deposition examples

volcanism, tsunami, wildfire

non-catostrophic deposition examples

streams, swamps, ocean, river, lake, desert

Characteristics of early life on earth

water present in liquid form, sun was weaker (25% solar luminosity compared to today), surface air temperature strongly influenced by high levels of CO2, water vapour, and methane, low atmospheric O2

How old is the LUCA for all living organisms?

4200 Ma

stromatolites

alternating layers of carbonate and carbon

geohopanes

chemical signatures of bacteriohopanepolyols produced by modern cyanobacteria

When does the early continental crust form?

early Archean

stromatolites of the Warrawoona group

Archean, ~3300 Ma

Earliest identification of prokaryotes

Archean, ~3200 Ma

Great oxidation event

early Proterozoic, ~2400 Ma

supercontinent Rodina formed

early Proterozoic, ~2000 Ma

earliest Eukaryotes identified

early Proterozoic, ~2000 Ma

Rodina divides into east Gondwana, west Gondwana, and Laurasia

mid-late Proterozoic, ~1000 Ma

first evidence for multicellularity (green alga)

Neoproterozoic, ~700 Ma

oceans fully oxygenated

Proterozoic-Cambrian boundary