Privileged Planet: life makes soil from rock (Introduction)

by David Turell , Thursday, February 02, 2023, 16:06 (450 days ago) @ David Turell

A study of how the microorganisms do it:

https://phys.org/news/2023-02-microbes-earth-rock-to-life.html

"The name "critical zone" may give off 1980s action thriller vibes, but it's the term scientists use to refer to the area of Earth's land surface responsible for sustaining life. A relatively small portion of the planetary structure, it spans from the bedrock below groundwater all the way up to the lower atmosphere.

"'Think of it as Earth's skin," said Jon Chorover, head of the Department of Environmental Science in the University of Arizona College of Agriculture and Life Sciences. "It's sometimes termed the zone where rock meets life."

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"Their findings, according to Chorover, provide a "smoking gun" link between the activities of carbon-consuming microbes and the transformation of rock to life-sustaining soil in the critical zone.

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"'Minerals, microorganisms and organics are among the most important components in Earth's surface," Fang said. "They interact with each other constantly to provide all terrestrial life with nutrients, energy and suitable living environments."

"These minerals in the critical zone are continuously attacked by microorganisms, organic acids and water, Fang explained. As the minerals break down, microbes in the soil consume the new organic matter and transform it into material that feeds plants and other microorganisms, while releasing carbon dioxide.

"Previous studies suggest that microbial decomposition of soil organic matter can be fueled when more "fresh" organics—such as plant matter—are introduced to the soil system. This process is called the "priming effect" by soil scientists. However, the relationship between mineral weathering and microbial priming remains unclear.

"'Our study shows, for the first time, how these essential soil processes are coupled, and these two processes continuously influence soil formation, CO2 emission and global climate," Fang said. "The linkages may even be associated with long-term elemental cycling and rapid turnover of soil carbon and nutrients on Earth."

"While it is easy to perceive the success of plants and microorganisms as lucky environmental circumstance, Chorover said this study proves even the smallest parts of the critical zone have a substantial role to play.

"'It shows that life is not simply a passive passenger on the trajectory of critical zone evolution, but actually an active engineer in determining the direction and path of how the Earth's skin evolves," Chorover said." ( my bold)

Comment: a rocky Earth without life became a fertilely soiled Earth with life doing it. My bold notes God works through evolutionary processes.