The team recognized changes in the composition of rocks formed by the melting of Earth’s interior at subduction zones where major tectonic plates collide. The present-day subduction volcano shown here is Avachinsky, Kamchatka. Credit: Dr. Tom Gernon / University of Southampton

该团队认识到，在主要构造板块碰撞的俯冲带，地球内部融化形成的岩石成分发生了变化。这里显示的现今俯冲火山是堪察加半岛的阿瓦钦斯基火山。图片来源：汤姆·格农博士/南安普顿大学

“When these rocks crystallize, they trap in vestiges of their past history,” says Dr. Tom Gernon, Associate Professor of Earth Science at the University of Southampton and co-author of the study. “So, we hypothesized that the evolution of plants should dramatically slow down the delivery of mud to the oceans and that this feature should be preserved in the rock record – it’s that simple.”

南安普顿大学地球科学副教授、该研究的合著者汤姆·格农博士说：“当这些岩石结晶时，它们会留下过去历史的痕迹。”。“因此，我们假设，植物的进化会显著减缓向海洋输送泥浆的速度，这一特征应该保存在岩石记录中——就这么简单。”

To test this idea, the team studied a database of over five thousand zircon crystals formed in magmas at subduction zones – essentially ‘time capsules’ that preserve vital information on the chemical conditions that prevailed on Earth when they crystallized.

为了验证这一想法，该团队研究了一个包含5000多颗锆石晶体的数据库，这些锆石晶体是在俯冲带的岩浆中形成的，基本上是“时间胶囊”，它保存了地球上结晶时普遍存在的化学条件的重要信息。

The present-day subduction volcano shown here is the Island of Montserrat, West Indies. Credit: Dr. Tom Gernon / University of Southampton

这里显示的现今俯冲火山是西印度群岛的蒙特塞拉特岛。图片来源：汤姆·格农博士/南安普顿大学

The team uncovered compelling evidence for a dramatic shift in the composition of rocks making up Earth’s continents, which coincides almost precisely with the onset of land plants.

该团队发现了令人信服的证据，证明组成地球大陆的岩石成分发生了戏剧性的变化，这几乎与陆地植物的出现相吻合。

Notably, the scientists also found that the chemical characteristics of zircon crystals generated at this time indicate a significant slowing down of sediment transfer to the oceans, just as they had hypothesized.

值得注意的是，科学家们还发现，此时生成的锆石晶体的化学特征表明，沉积物转移到海洋的速度显著减慢，正如他们所假设的那样。

The researchers show that vegetation changed not only the surface of the Earth but also the dynamics of melting in Earth’s mantle.

“It is amazing to think that the greening of the continents was felt in the deep Earth,” concludes Dr. Spencer.

研究人员表明，植被不仅改变了地球表面，还改变了地幔融化的动力学。

斯宾塞博士总结道：“想到地球深处感受到了大陆的绿化，真是令人惊讶。”。

“Hopefully this previously unrecognized link between the Earth’s interior and surface environment stimulates further study.”

“希望这一以前未被认识到的地球内部和表面环境之间的联系能够激发下一步的研究。”