Annual Review of Earth and Planetary Sciences最新文献

{"title":"Biocrusts: Crucial Linkage Among the Earth Sciences and Forgotten Pillar of the Earth System","authors":"Bo Xiao, Matthew A. Bowker, Minsu Kim, Stefanie Maier, Bettina Weber, Yousong Cao","doi":"10.1146/annurev-earth-032524-013449","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev-earth-032524-013449","url":null,"abstract":"Biocrusts are photosynthetic communities that extensively cover Earth's exposed soil surfaces, occupying the critical interface between the atmosphere and the pedosphere. Here, we present a comprehensive review of the definition, distribution, composition, structure, and function of biocrusts, emphasizing their relevance to the Earth sciences through influences on pedogenesis, landscape evolution, hydrological processes, surface energy balance, and biogeochemical cycles, both in the present and throughout Earth's history. We summarize both the established understanding and existing knowledge gaps regarding the complex interactions between biocrusts and the Earth system. Through this review, we demonstrate that biocrusts are a crucial linkage among various subdisciplines of Earth sciences and adjacent fields, thereby contributing to the refinement and advancement of Earth sciences to keep pace with global changes. As a lever to support vital Earth system processes, biocrust research helps find transdisciplinary solutions to combat climate change, conserve biodiversity, and promote sustainable land use. <jats:list list-type=\"bullet\"> <jats:list-item> <jats:label>▪</jats:label> Biocrusts are photosynthetic communities inhabiting the interface between atmosphere and pedosphere, covering about 12% of Earth's terrestrial surface. </jats:list-item> <jats:list-item> <jats:label>▪</jats:label> Biocrusts influence the Earth system by mediating pedogenesis, landscape evolution, surface energy balance, and hydrological and biogeochemical cycles. </jats:list-item> <jats:list-item> <jats:label>▪</jats:label> Biocrusts form a link among geology, geomorphology, climatology, hydrology, soil science, environmental science, cryosphere science, and geospatial science. </jats:list-item> <jats:list-item> <jats:label>▪</jats:label> Biocrust research provides potential solutions to combat climate change, conserve biodiversity, and promote sustainable land use. </jats:list-item> </jats:list>","PeriodicalId":8034,"journal":{"name":"Annual Review of Earth and Planetary Sciences","volume":"18 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":14.9,"publicationDate":"2026-04-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147625857","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"地球科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"The Central Segment of the Famatinian Arc: Insights into the Construction of Ancient Arc Crust","authors":"Juan E. Otamendi, Facundo A. Escribano, Tomás Guerreiro, Giuliano C. Camilletti, Emanuel Giovanini, Eber A. Cristofolini, Olivier Bachmann, Andrea Galli, George W. Bergantz","doi":"10.1146/annurev-earth-032524-113824","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev-earth-032524-113824","url":null,"abstract":"The Famatinian arc provides an extensive cross section through an ancient magmatic arc, elucidating the evolution of subduction-related magmatism and the generation of the continental crust. Although the mantle-crust transition is not exposed, integrated field observations and laboratory analyses allow the reconstruction of a spatiotemporal model for the arc's thermal structure and magmatic evolution. The resulting cross section demonstrates that depth-dependent petrological processes govern igneous differentiation. At greater depths, crystallization-driven fractionation and melt-mush interactions produce variations within mafic-ultramafic complexes. From the middle crust to volcanic levels, crystal fractionation, partial melting, and the reactive assimilation of prearc host crust drive the evolution toward intermediate and silicic compositions. Comparative analysis with other ancient arcs indicates that subduction-related plutonic-volcanic columns are density filtered and organized as vertically interconnected systems. Within these trans-lithospheric magmatic columns, the influx of mantle-derived melts, multi-level crystal-melt-fluid fractionation, and assimilation of preexisting crust occur simultaneously in space and time from source to surface. <jats:list list-type=\"bullet\"> <jats:list-item> <jats:label>▪</jats:label> The Famatinian represents a 30-km-thick segment of Ordovician arc crust that has undergone differential uplift along several hundred kilometers of its paleo-axis. </jats:list-item> <jats:list-item> <jats:label>▪</jats:label> Mantle melt input, polybaric igneous fractionation, and intracrustal melting controlled lithological and chemical diversification across the magmatic column. </jats:list-item> <jats:list-item> <jats:label>▪</jats:label> Extensive igneous columns transition from melt-dominated magmatic systems in the middle crust to crystal-rich mushy reservoirs in the upper crust. </jats:list-item> <jats:list-item> <jats:label>▪</jats:label> Comparable lithological architectures in ancient arc sections allow assessment of how the building blocks of continental crust develop over convergent plate margins. </jats:list-item> </jats:list>","PeriodicalId":8034,"journal":{"name":"Annual Review of Earth and Planetary Sciences","volume":"12 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":14.9,"publicationDate":"2026-03-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147625556","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"地球科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Water-Isotope Proxies in Lake Sediments: Calibrations, Uncertainties, and New Directions","authors":"Jamie M. McFarlin, Yarrow Axford, Gabriel J. Bowen, William Leavitt, Jeemin H. Rhim, Bryan N. Shuman","doi":"10.1146/annurev-earth-032524-014745","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev-earth-032524-014745","url":null,"abstract":"Paleoclimatologists have long recognized that H and O isotopes of materials in lake sediments can help reconstruct past climate and environmental change. Here, a global synthesis of O isotopes in lab-cultured or core-top carbonates and organic macrofossils and of H isotopes in core-top sedimentary plant waxes confirms their strong correlations with source water isotopes. New proxies, such as H isotopes of microbial lipids, are also emerging. Given the prevalence of lakes around the world, these methods show immense promise for generating networks of water-isotope reconstructions needed to characterize past climates. This review summarizes current knowledge of these proxies, their relationships to modern water isotopes, and challenges in their interpretation. Future progress in applying water-isotope proxies would benefit from collecting relevant site environmental and ecological data, generating calibrated water-isotope reconstructions for direct comparison with observational data, and cross-validating reconstructions across multiple proxies or sites. <jats:list list-type=\"bullet\"> <jats:list-item> <jats:label>▪</jats:label> Reconstructions of past water isotopes promise rich insight into paleoclimate dynamics and have support from a range of modern calibration studies. </jats:list-item> <jats:list-item> <jats:label>▪</jats:label> Multiple water-isotope proxies, including carbonate minerals, aquatic organism remains, and leaf waxes, reliably track meteoric water isotopes. </jats:list-item> <jats:list-item> <jats:label>▪</jats:label> Newly emerging water-isotope proxies, such as archaeal and bacterial glycerol dialkyl glycerol tetraethers, promise to expand the range of settings and questions available for investigation. </jats:list-item> <jats:list-item> <jats:label>▪</jats:label> Expanding modern calibration datasets can clarify the limitations on water-isotope reconstructions while enhancing interpretations. </jats:list-item> </jats:list>","PeriodicalId":8034,"journal":{"name":"Annual Review of Earth and Planetary Sciences","volume":"57 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":14.9,"publicationDate":"2026-03-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147439745","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"地球科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"The Compositions of Planetary Cores","authors":"Anat Shahar, Edward D. Young, Kei Hirose, Shunpei Yokoo","doi":"10.1146/annurev-earth-040722-094945","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev-earth-040722-094945","url":null,"abstract":"Understanding the composition of metallic cores in planetary bodies is crucial for unraveling planetary formation, differentiation, and evolution. On Earth, early seismic and density data suggested iron-dominated interiors alloyed with lighter elements such as sulfur, silicon, oxygen, carbon, hydrogen, and nitrogen. These elements influence core density, thermal conductivity, magnetic field generation, and surface habitability, and their incorporation depends on each planet's unique pressure, temperature, and redox conditions during differentiation. Experimental investigations of metal-silicate partitioning under extreme conditions show that many light elements are strongly siderophile at high pressures, contributing to the diversity of core compositions across the Solar System and beyond. This review synthesizes current knowledge on core compositions beyond Earth—spanning asteroids to exoplanets—and explores how laboratory experiments, cosmochemical evidence, and astrophysical observations collectivelyinform our understanding of core formation. By decoding core compositions, studies can better constrain the thermal histories and potential habitability of planetary bodies. <jats:list list-type=\"bullet\"> <jats:list-item> <jats:label>▪</jats:label> Planetary core compositions reveal how planets form, differentiate, and evolve, shaping the density, heat flow, magnetic fields, and habitability of a planet. </jats:list-item> </jats:list> <jats:list list-type=\"order\"> <jats:list-item> <jats:label>▪</jats:label> Experiments, cosmochemical abundances, and theoretical calculations explain the light element compositions of planetary cores from asteroids to exoplanets. </jats:list-item> </jats:list>","PeriodicalId":8034,"journal":{"name":"Annual Review of Earth and Planetary Sciences","volume":"19 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":14.9,"publicationDate":"2026-02-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147279591","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"地球科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Rocks, Fossils, and Ecology: Understanding How Time Is Sampled in the Fossil Record","authors":"Anna K. Behrensmeyer","doi":"10.1146/annurev-earth-032924-010934","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev-earth-032924-010934","url":null,"abstract":"The geological record provides us with absolute ages of past events and organisms, but it also contains information about what occurred within time intervals ranging from seconds to eons. Within this huge range of time samples, intervals that span days to tens of thousands of years can be the hardest to calibrate in convincing ways, yet knowing how much time is recorded in fossil samples is essential for reconstructing terrestrial and marine paleoecology. A career of field research in sedimentology, stratigraphy, paleontology, observations and experiments in modern land ecosystems (neo-taphonomy), and comparisons of fossil preservation across the Phanerozoic record has convinced me that we can make credible estimates of time intervals represented by different types of fossil assemblages. The examples in this autobiographical review trace the development of my understanding of time-averaging in the fossil record and suggest how future research can unlock new information about ancient ecosystems and their inhabitants.","PeriodicalId":8034,"journal":{"name":"Annual Review of Earth and Planetary Sciences","volume":"1 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":14.9,"publicationDate":"2026-02-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147279560","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"地球科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"The DART Mission and Advancements in Planetary Defense","authors":"Andrew S. Rivkin, Nancy L. Chabot","doi":"10.1146/annurev-earth-032524-125929","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev-earth-032524-125929","url":null,"abstract":"The Double Asteroid Redirection Test (DART) was NASA's first planetary defense test mission, designed to validate the technologies and methods associated with using a kinetic impactor to deflect asteroids that pose a threat to Earth. On September 26, 2022, DART intentionally collided with Dimorphos, the moonlet of the near-Earth asteroid Didymos. Observations over the following weeks and months confirmed that DART's impact changed Dimorphos's orbit around Didymos, reducing its speed by 2.6 mm <jats:inline-formula> <jats:tex-math>$/$</jats:tex-math> </jats:inline-formula> s. In addition, the DART impact provided the opportunity to observe the creation and evolution of the resulting ejecta, to investigate the dynamics within a perturbed binary system, and to study a natural-scale asteroid impact experiment. Additionally, the Didymos-Dimorphos system was the first binary near-Earth asteroid system investigated by spacecraft, and Dimorphos is the smallest asteroid visited by spacecraft to date. We detail the science and planetary defense findings of DART and look to future advancements. <jats:list list-type=\"bullet\"> <jats:list-item> <jats:label>▪</jats:label> NASA's Double Asteroid Redirection Test (DART) mission was the first to demonstrate asteroid deflection, autonomously navigating to impact the asteroid Dimorphos on September 26, 2022. </jats:list-item> <jats:list-item> <jats:label>▪</jats:label> DART's successful planetary defense test validated that the kinetic impactor (KI) technique is a viable means to alter an asteroid's future path, which could potentially be used to prevent a future Earth impact. </jats:list-item> <jats:list-item> <jats:label>▪</jats:label> Analysis of the DART impact event and the resulting aftermath showed that the efficiency of the deflection achieved by the KI technique depended on the asteroid's properties. </jats:list-item> <jats:list-item> <jats:label>▪</jats:label> Prior information about the asteroid and its properties, such as by a reconnaissance mission, has the potential to allow optimization of the KI technique for asteroid deflection. </jats:list-item> <jats:list-item> <jats:label>▪</jats:label> Warning time is key for utilizing the KI technique to prevent a potential Earth impact, stressing the need for a planetary defense strategy that includes searching for asteroids and characterizing them in addition to developing mitigation approaches. </jats:list-item> <jats:list-item> <jats:label>▪</jats:label> In addition to advancing planetary defense objectives, the DART mission provided the first close-up visit to a binary asteroid system and measurements on the smallest asteroid visited by a spacecraft to date. </jats:list-item> <jats:list-item> <jats:label>▪</jats:label> The success of the DART mission relied on an interdisciplinary and international team, demonstrating the value of wide-ranging cooperation for planetary defense efforts. </jats:list-item> </jats:list>","PeriodicalId":8034,"journal":{"name":"Annual Review of Earth and Planetary Sciences","volume":"57 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":14.9,"publicationDate":"2026-02-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147279561","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"地球科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Magnetic Storms and Geoelectric Hazards","authors":"Jeffrey J. Love, Paul A. Bedrosian, Anna Kelbert, E. Joshua Rigler, Greg M. Lucas, Neesha R. Schnepf","doi":"10.1146/annurev-earth-032524-012356","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev-earth-032524-012356","url":null,"abstract":"Magnetic storms induce geoelectric fields at Earth's surface that can interfere with grounded long-line systems. The September 1859 storm disrupted global telegraph operations, the March 1989 storm caused a blackout in Canada and interfered with electric-power-transmission systems in the United States, and other storms have had related impacts. The geographic and temporal dependence of geoelectric fields are functions of both geomagnetic variation and local surface impedance, which differ considerably across different geological regions. These dependencies can be mapped across the contiguous United States by combining magnetotelluric impedance tensors with ground magnetometer time series. This review illustrates such mapping for the 1989 storm and shows that power-system interference was experienced where surface impedance is high, and when and where geoelectric fields were intense. Statistical analyses indicate that storms comparable to that of March 1989 occur roughly once every four solar cycles. Ongoing developments in numerical modeling and real-time monitoring are anticipated to enable prediction of geoelectric hazards. <jats:list list-type=\"bullet\"> <jats:list-item> <jats:label>▪</jats:label> Magnetic storms can induced electric fields in the solid Earth that interfere with electric-power-transmission systems. </jats:list-item> <jats:list-item> <jats:label>▪</jats:label> Geoelectric hazards depend on the storm-time geomagnetic disturbance and the electrical conductivity structure of Earth. </jats:list-item> <jats:list-item> <jats:label>▪</jats:label> Historically, impacts on telecommunication and power-transmission systems in the United States have been concentrated in the East and Midwest. </jats:list-item> <jats:list-item> <jats:label>▪</jats:label> The future occurrence of a magnetic superstorm could cause widespread disruption of electric-power-transmission systems. </jats:list-item> </jats:list>","PeriodicalId":8034,"journal":{"name":"Annual Review of Earth and Planetary Sciences","volume":"346 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":14.9,"publicationDate":"2026-02-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147279592","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"地球科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Geoscience Diversity Programs: What Works and Does Not and Their Evolution Through Time","authors":"Carlene Burton, Ann Marie Garran, Adeline Liem, N. Chloé Nwangwu, Samuel Cornelius Nyarko, Lisa Werkmeister Rozas, Vashan Wright","doi":"10.1146/annurev-earth-040623-101222","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev-earth-040623-101222","url":null,"abstract":"Geoscience remains one of the least diverse science, technology, engineering, and mathematics disciplines, despite investment in diversity initiatives. Obstacles such as insufficient funding, paucity of geoscience offerings, and lack of information continue to promote a culture of exclusion. This review critically examines the evolution of belonging, accessibility, justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion (BAJEDI) programs in the geosciences, focusing on efforts to increase participation and retention of minoritized people of color. We explore the philosophical foundations that have shaped BAJEDI efforts and the challenges they face despite realistic gains. This review identifies institutional and political limitations and offers recommendations to support positive, long-term institutional and systemic change. We underscore the need to move beyond symbolic gestures and argue for ethic of care practices that center authentic, relational interactions and systemic accountability. Understanding what truly works and the conditions under which it works for minoritized people of color is critical to building a more inclusive and innovative geoscience community. <jats:list list-type=\"bullet\"> <jats:list-item> <jats:label>▪</jats:label> Increasing racial diversity in geoscience requires sustained, resilient, and evidence-based strategies rather than short-term or ad hoc efforts. </jats:list-item> <jats:list-item> <jats:label>▪</jats:label> Efforts to increase racial diversity and improve the experiences of people of color in geoscience must attend to relational dynamics within the field. </jats:list-item> <jats:list-item> <jats:label>▪</jats:label> Learning from past missteps and evaluating what works are essential to strengthening existing efforts and advancing racial diversity in geoscience. </jats:list-item> <jats:list-item> <jats:label>▪</jats:label> Including an ethic of care, rather than relying primarily on deontological or utilitarian frameworks, within diversity programs and policies is key to meaningful, lasting transformation in geoscience. </jats:list-item> </jats:list>","PeriodicalId":8034,"journal":{"name":"Annual Review of Earth and Planetary Sciences","volume":"119 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":14.9,"publicationDate":"2026-02-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146196471","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"地球科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"The Black Sea as an Extreme Habitat of Earth's Ocean: Biogeochemical Functioning, Unique Ecosystems, and Astrobiological Relevance","authors":"Mustafa Yücel, Betül Bitir Soylu, Esra Ermiş, Nimet Alımlı, Zeray Ayral Gülmez","doi":"10.1146/annurev-earth-032524-011942","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev-earth-032524-011942","url":null,"abstract":"The Black Sea, characterized by its unique oceanographic and biogeochemical gradients and oxygen-depleted (anoxic) waters, serves as a natural analogue of past planetary-scale geological events as well as more recent human-induced changes. In this review, based on a synthesis of the most recent research, we demonstrate how the extreme ecosystems of the Black Sea provide valuable insights into ecological resilience and adaptation in a changing global ocean. We also elaborate on how the Black Sea's biogeochemical oceanographic extremities parallel conditions found in some of the most extreme environments of our planet as well as newly discovered oceans of the Solar System, offering a crucial analogue for astrobiological and extreme environment research. As such, the Black Sea holds significant relevance not only for understanding Earth's past oceans and present ecological dynamics but also for advancing the exploration of life's potential beyond our planet. <jats:list list-type=\"bullet\"> <jats:list-item> <jats:label>▪</jats:label> The Black Sea is shaped by oceanographic gradients with Earth's largest volume of oxygen-depleted and sulfide-rich waters. </jats:list-item> <jats:list-item> <jats:label>▪</jats:label> The habitats of the Black Sea host not only unique bacterial and archaeal lineages but also eukaryotic organisms adapted to extreme conditions. </jats:list-item> <jats:list-item> <jats:label>▪</jats:label> It is also an excellent laboratory environment to study the geological past of Earth's ocean and for future studies of the Solar System's ocean worlds. </jats:list-item> <jats:list-item> <jats:label>▪</jats:label> Managing the Black Sea's environmental challenges should be a priority as well to keep this unique natural laboratory stable and accessible for future generations. </jats:list-item> </jats:list>","PeriodicalId":8034,"journal":{"name":"Annual Review of Earth and Planetary Sciences","volume":"42 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":14.9,"publicationDate":"2026-02-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146196627","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"地球科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Revisiting the Bio-Inorganic Bridge 25 Years Later","authors":"Leslie J. Robbins, Sanaa Mughal, Nagissa Mahmoudi, Daniel B. Mills, Holly R. Rucker, Eva E. Stüeken, Ariel D. Anbar, Andrew H. Knoll, Betül Kaçar, Kurt O. Konhauser","doi":"10.1146/annurev-earth-040523-125151","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev-earth-040523-125151","url":null,"abstract":"The concept of the bio-inorganic bridge links the evolution of Earth's biosphere to the broad-scale changes in trace metal availability driven by shifts in ocean redox conditions. This framework connects the acquisition of metal enzyme cofactors to evolving environmental conditions over geological time. Various approaches have been taken to building this bridge, integrating insights from microbiology, phylogenomics, ecophysiology, and geochemistry. Much of this work has been framed around a model of Earth's oceans evolving from an Archean anoxic state, through an intermediate sulfidic phase, to the well-oxygenated conditions of the modern world. This perspective predicts corresponding changes in the abundance of key trace elements and highlights their roles in governing primary productivity and the emergence of eukaryotes. That said, geological proxy studies in the intervening years revealed much more complexity to ocean redox evolution, while novel phylogenomic analyses reveal a deeper evolutionary antiquity for several redox-sensitive metalloenzymes. These discoveries require that geobiologists pay close attention to environmental variations in space as well as time. Moreover, increasing awareness that Precambrian trace metal abundances reflect large changes in sources and sinks, as well as in redox conditions, urges closer attention to tectonically influenced fluxes of major nutrients, especially phosphorus, as well as changing weathering fluxes through time. A new understanding of the relationships between Earth's physical history and metalloenzymes awaits. <jats:list list-type=\"bullet\"> <jats:list-item> <jats:label>▪</jats:label> The bio-inorganic bridge connects biological and geological evolution through changes in trace metal availability over Earth's history. </jats:list-item> <jats:list-item> <jats:label>▪</jats:label> Combining sedimentary geochemistry and phylogenetics has revealed novel insights into metal utilization by the biosphere. </jats:list-item> <jats:list-item> <jats:label>▪</jats:label> Interdisciplinary approaches are increasingly used to link biosphere evolution with Earth's surface environments. </jats:list-item> </jats:list>","PeriodicalId":8034,"journal":{"name":"Annual Review of Earth and Planetary Sciences","volume":"31 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":14.9,"publicationDate":"2026-02-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146129351","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"地球科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}