[Campbell Biology P.677] The text states, "Life has profoundly changed the Earth." Do the ex... | Practice Question
The text states, "Life has profoundly changed the Earth." Do the experimental results support this statement?
A: Yes, the results show nonvascular plants can increase rock weathering, potentially contributing to significant CO2 drawdowns and climate cooling, thus supporting the idea that life profoundly changed Earth.
B: No, the experiment was conducted in small microcosms and cannot be extrapolated to global effects, thus not supporting the statement.
C: Yes, but only for specific minerals and rock types, so its impact on Earth's overall change is minimal.
D: No, the primary change to Earth was due to volcanic activity, not biological processes, so the statement is unsupported.
Explanation
The experimental results, when extrapolated via simulation models as mentioned in the text, indicate that nonvascular plants could have caused significant CO2 drawdowns and global cooling during the Ordovician period. This profound impact on Earth's climate and atmospheric composition directly supports the statement that 'Life has profoundly changed the Earth.'