A crucial role in ensuring a habitable oxygen concentration in the atmosphere of our planet was played by the mosses.
Scientists were able to evaluate the role of the first terrestrial plants in the evolution of species.
Thanks to computer modeling, scientists from the University of Exeter (UK) found that a crucial role in ensuring a habitable oxygen concentration in the earth’s atmosphere, played mosses.
According to experts, the oxygen appeared in the atmosphere of our planet about 2.4 billion years ago.
However, approximately 400 million years ago its concentration has reached a level, which is necessary for the development of complex organisms.
Given that mosses were the first plants to colonize our planet, it is thanks to them that the level of oxygen in the Earth’s atmosphere has increased, serving as the impetus for the development of life.
The process of saturation of air with oxygen, according to scientists, it passed relatively quickly – in just 50 million years.
Experts note that the earliest plants on Earth was surprisingly productive and has caused a substantial increase of oxygen content in the atmosphere of our planet.
