The Role of Plants in Controlling Rates and Products of Weathering: Importance of Biological Pumping

The recycling of elements by plants and plant-induced biological activity cause the rates and products of weathering to be markedly different from what would result in abiotic processes. Plants directly control water dynamics, weathering, and the chemistry of weathering solutions, which is clearly exhibited in equatorial areas where old weathering mantles are greatly influenced by biological activity. Depending on the dynamics of plant-induced organometallic compounds, this weathering results in either clayey soils, which are in a dynamic equilibrium sustained by the forest's cycling of elements, or sandy soils. In most places (tropical as well temperate areas), the weathering mantle can be regarded as being in a dynamic equilibrium sustained by plants.