The Earth’s surface is the interface between the biosphere and geologic processes. Climate is one of the most fundamental controls on biologic and geologic processes. Researchers in the Environmental Systems Platform are exploring the interactions at this Geo-Bio interface, by advancing the knowledge of how plant traits (e.g. rooting depth, branching, and exudates; mycorrhiza and bacteria interactions; stomatal conductance, water use, leaf size, and plasticity, etc.) interact with diverse geologic processes. Linking climate research to bio-/geosciences is achieved by coupling climate and vegetation modeling, including also machine learning techniques, which offer a means to bridge between the large range of timescales over which biologic and geologic processes occur (e.g. days to millions of years).
Key scientific questions addressed:
- How do plant and microbial processes that are active over short (days to years) timescales impact the evolution of Earth’s surface over long timescales (thousands to millions to years)?
- What are the plant physiological and (epi)genetic traits that influence geologic processes such as weathering, erosion, and sedimentation and how do these traits change through time in the distant past?
- How does climate and geologic change (past and future) influence biodiversity and the biospheres impact on Earth surface processes?
- Does the “deep biosphere (e.g. microbes)” contribute to the breakdown of rocks and soil formation?
