Late Riphean Microbial Colonies Adapted to Desiccating Environments

摘要

The colonization of non-marine environments is associated with the greatest expansion of species-level diversity in the history of life. Arguably, the largest event in the terrestrialization was the emergence of embryophytes, fungi, terrestrial arthropods and tetra-pods in the mid-Paleozoic era that resulted in sudden increase in biodiversity, biomass and body size in the non-marine biota. An earlier phase of terrestrialization of no less importance extends to the first 80% of the history of biosphere (Archean and early Proterozoic) and records the processes of rock surface weathering by bacteria.