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

Author

Listed:
  • P. Porada

    (Stockholm University
    Bolin Centre for Climate Research, Stockholm University)

  • T. M. Lenton

    (Earth System Science Group, College of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Exeter)

  • A. Pohl

    (Laboratoire des Sciences du Climat et de l’Environnement, LSCE/IPSL, CEA-CNRS-UVSQ, Université Paris-Saclay)

  • B. Weber

    (Max Planck Institute for Chemistry)

  • L. Mander

    (Earth and Ecosystems, The Open University)

  • Y. Donnadieu

    (Laboratoire des Sciences du Climat et de l’Environnement, LSCE/IPSL, CEA-CNRS-UVSQ, Université Paris-Saclay
    Aix-Marseille Université, CNRS, IRD, CEREGE UM34)

  • C. Beer

    (Stockholm University
    Bolin Centre for Climate Research, Stockholm University)

  • U. Pöschl

    (Max Planck Institute for Chemistry)

  • A. Kleidon

    (Max Planck Institute for Biogeochemistry)

Abstract

It has been hypothesized that predecessors of today’s bryophytes significantly increased global chemical weathering in the Late Ordovician, thus reducing atmospheric CO2 concentration and contributing to climate cooling and an interval of glaciations. Studies that try to quantify the enhancement of weathering by non-vascular vegetation, however, are usually limited to small areas and low numbers of species, which hampers extrapolating to the global scale and to past climatic conditions. Here we present a spatially explicit modelling approach to simulate global weathering by non-vascular vegetation in the Late Ordovician. We estimate a potential global weathering flux of 2.8 (km3 rock) yr−1, defined here as volume of primary minerals affected by chemical transformation. This is around three times larger than today’s global chemical weathering flux. Moreover, we find that simulated weathering is highly sensitive to atmospheric CO2 concentration. This implies a strong negative feedback between weathering by non-vascular vegetation and Ordovician climate.

Suggested Citation

  • P. Porada & T. M. Lenton & A. Pohl & B. Weber & L. Mander & Y. Donnadieu & C. Beer & U. Pöschl & A. Kleidon, 2016. "High potential for weathering and climate effects of non-vascular vegetation in the Late Ordovician," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 7(1), pages 1-13, November.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:natcom:v:7:y:2016:i:1:d:10.1038_ncomms12113
    DOI: 10.1038/ncomms12113
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    Cited by:

    1. Tais W. Dahl & Magnus A. R. Harding & Julia Brugger & Georg Feulner & Kion Norrman & Barry H. Lomax & Christopher K. Junium, 2022. "Low atmospheric CO2 levels before the rise of forested ecosystems," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 13(1), pages 1-10, December.
    2. Khushboo Gurung & Katie J. Field & Sarah A. Batterman & Simon W. Poulton & Benjamin J. W. Mills, 2024. "Geographic range of plants drives long-term climate change," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 15(1), pages 1-7, December.
    3. Khushboo Gurung & Katie J. Field & Sarah A. Batterman & Yves Goddéris & Yannick Donnadieu & Philipp Porada & Lyla L. Taylor & Benjamin J. W. Mills, 2022. "Climate windows of opportunity for plant expansion during the Phanerozoic," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 13(1), pages 1-9, December.

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