Silicon isotopic signatures of granitoids support increased weathering of subaerial land 3.7 billion years ago

Nicolas D. Greber; Madeleine E. Murphy; Julian-Christopher Storck; Jesse R. Reimink; Nicolas Dauphas; Paul S. Savage

doi:10.1038/s43247-025-02337-7

Silicon isotopic signatures of granitoids support increased weathering of subaerial land 3.7 billion years ago

Nicolas D. Greber^*, Madeleine E. Murphy, Julian-Christopher Storck, Jesse R. Reimink, Nicolas Dauphas, Paul S. Savage

^*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

Abstract

The weathering and erosion of emerged land profoundly influences the Earth system, including the composition of the atmosphere and the type of nutrients delivered to the oceans. The emergence of land allowed for the formation of lakes and continental shelves, important habitats for the origin and evolution of life. Recent studies indicate a difference in silicon isotopes between Archean granitoids and their modern counterparts, which is explained by the incorporation of seawater-derived silica in the melting sources of the former. We show that this signature changed rapidly around 3.6 billion years ago, and that this shift is likely linked to an increase in the dissolved silicon flux from terrestrial weathering. Modeling suggests that the amount of oceanic silicon derived from terrigenous sources increased from near zero to around 32 ± 15% between 3.8 and 3.6 billion years ago. This indicates that, from this point onward, continental weathering feedbacks were established, and mass flux from land became an important source in the chemical budget of seawater, changes that likely exerted positive effects on the evolution of life.

Original language	English
Article number	382
Pages (from-to)	1-9
Number of pages	9
Journal	Communications Earth & Environment
Volume	6
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1038/s43247-025-02337-7
Publication status	Published - 16 May 2025

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NSFGEO-NERC: An investigation of the: An investigation into the possible co-evolution of Si and O isotopes in igneous rocks and minerals from the Hadean to present
Savage, P. (PI)
NERC
1/06/17 → 31/05/20
Project: Standard

Cite this

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title = "Silicon isotopic signatures of granitoids support increased weathering of subaerial land 3.7 billion years ago",

abstract = "The weathering and erosion of emerged land profoundly influences the Earth system, including the composition of the atmosphere and the type of nutrients delivered to the oceans. The emergence of land allowed for the formation of lakes and continental shelves, important habitats for the origin and evolution of life. Recent studies indicate a difference in silicon isotopes between Archean granitoids and their modern counterparts, which is explained by the incorporation of seawater-derived silica in the melting sources of the former. We show that this signature changed rapidly around 3.6 billion years ago, and that this shift is likely linked to an increase in the dissolved silicon flux from terrestrial weathering. Modeling suggests that the amount of oceanic silicon derived from terrigenous sources increased from near zero to around 32 ± 15% between 3.8 and 3.6 billion years ago. This indicates that, from this point onward, continental weathering feedbacks were established, and mass flux from land became an important source in the chemical budget of seawater, changes that likely exerted positive effects on the evolution of life.",

author = "Greber, {Nicolas D.} and Murphy, {Madeleine E.} and Julian-Christopher Storck and Reimink, {Jesse R.} and Nicolas Dauphas and Savage, {Paul S.}",

note = "Funding: This project was founded by the Swiss National Science Foundation grant 181172 to N.D.G. The Neptune MC-ICP-MS at the University of Bern was acquired with funds from the National Centre for Competence in Research PlanetS, also supported by the Swiss National Science Foundation (SNSF). M.E.M. was supported by the University of St Andrews School of Earth and Environmental Sciences and the Handsel scheme, in addition to NERC grant NE/R002134/1 to P.S.S.",

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AU - Greber, Nicolas D.

AU - Murphy, Madeleine E.

AU - Storck, Julian-Christopher

AU - Reimink, Jesse R.

AU - Dauphas, Nicolas

AU - Savage, Paul S.

N1 - Funding: This project was founded by the Swiss National Science Foundation grant 181172 to N.D.G. The Neptune MC-ICP-MS at the University of Bern was acquired with funds from the National Centre for Competence in Research PlanetS, also supported by the Swiss National Science Foundation (SNSF). M.E.M. was supported by the University of St Andrews School of Earth and Environmental Sciences and the Handsel scheme, in addition to NERC grant NE/R002134/1 to P.S.S.

PY - 2025/5/16

Y1 - 2025/5/16

N2 - The weathering and erosion of emerged land profoundly influences the Earth system, including the composition of the atmosphere and the type of nutrients delivered to the oceans. The emergence of land allowed for the formation of lakes and continental shelves, important habitats for the origin and evolution of life. Recent studies indicate a difference in silicon isotopes between Archean granitoids and their modern counterparts, which is explained by the incorporation of seawater-derived silica in the melting sources of the former. We show that this signature changed rapidly around 3.6 billion years ago, and that this shift is likely linked to an increase in the dissolved silicon flux from terrestrial weathering. Modeling suggests that the amount of oceanic silicon derived from terrigenous sources increased from near zero to around 32 ± 15% between 3.8 and 3.6 billion years ago. This indicates that, from this point onward, continental weathering feedbacks were established, and mass flux from land became an important source in the chemical budget of seawater, changes that likely exerted positive effects on the evolution of life.

AB - The weathering and erosion of emerged land profoundly influences the Earth system, including the composition of the atmosphere and the type of nutrients delivered to the oceans. The emergence of land allowed for the formation of lakes and continental shelves, important habitats for the origin and evolution of life. Recent studies indicate a difference in silicon isotopes between Archean granitoids and their modern counterparts, which is explained by the incorporation of seawater-derived silica in the melting sources of the former. We show that this signature changed rapidly around 3.6 billion years ago, and that this shift is likely linked to an increase in the dissolved silicon flux from terrestrial weathering. Modeling suggests that the amount of oceanic silicon derived from terrigenous sources increased from near zero to around 32 ± 15% between 3.8 and 3.6 billion years ago. This indicates that, from this point onward, continental weathering feedbacks were established, and mass flux from land became an important source in the chemical budget of seawater, changes that likely exerted positive effects on the evolution of life.

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DO - 10.1038/s43247-025-02337-7

M3 - Article

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JO - Communications Earth & Environment

JF - Communications Earth & Environment

M1 - 382

ER -

Silicon isotopic signatures of granitoids support increased weathering of subaerial land 3.7 billion years ago

Abstract

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NSFGEO-NERC: An investigation of the: An investigation into the possible co-evolution of Si and O isotopes in igneous rocks and minerals from the Hadean to present

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