The oxygen we breathe today to sustain life was not present when Earth developed. Scientists have now used rock fossils to determine the planet’s circumstances prior to the evolution of oxygen.
As British palaeontologist, geologist, and author Richard Fortey once stated, “Fossils are like time capsules, preserving life’s story in stone.”
Stromatolites, layered rock-like formations produced by Cyanobacteria (one of the oldest bacteria), were examined by researchers. They include records that date back 2.5 billion years.
As nitrogen cycle patterns can be used to determine the state of the Earth prior to the evolution of oxygen and the onset of photosynthesis, they were selected. Comparing this research approach to the evolution of oxygen and its effects, it is likewise little studied.
The two main nutrients that regulate ocean production throughout time are nitrogen and phosphorus, according to Dr. Ashley Martin of Northumbria University’s Department of Geography and Environmental Sciences.
Dr. Martin included a note about the significance of ammonium for biological processes and the high concentration of nitrogen in the form of ammonium found deep inside the ocean.
Early life would have benefited greatly from this ammonium store, which would have supplied the nitrogen source required for biological activities to take place.
Early oceans were impacted by volcanic activity because they had relatively little oxygen. This in turn aided in the development of microorganisms that played a key role in the evolution of oxygen.
Dr. Eva Stueken of the University of St Andrews remarked, “Our new findings suggest a strong linkage to hydrothermal nutrient recycling, meaning that early life may have been fuelled by volcanic activity.” The unique nitrogen isotope levels in these rocks have long baffled us.
The study, which was published in Nature Communications, emphasizes the volcano’s significance in the evolution of life at that era.
