The evolution of land plants during the Palaeozoic era transformed Earth’s biosphere. Because the Earth’s surface and interior are linked by tectonic processes, the linked evolution of the biosphere and sedimentary rocks should be recorded as a near-contemporary shift in the composition of the continental crust. To test this hypothesis, we assessed the isotopic signatures of zircon formed at subduction zones where marine sediments are transported into the mantle, thereby recording interactions between surface environments and the deep Earth. Using oxygen and lutetium–hafnium isotopes of magmatic zircon that respectively track surface weathering (time independent) and radiogenic decay (time dependent), we find a correlation in the composition of continental crust after 430 Myr ago, which is coeval with the onset of enhanced complexity and stability in sedimentary systems related to the evolution of vascular plants. The expansion of terrestrial vegetation brought channelled sand-bed and meandering rivers, muddy floodplains and thicker soils, lengthening the duration of weathering before final marine deposition. Collectively, our results suggest that the evolution of vascular plants coupled the degree of weathering and timescales of sediment routing to depositional basins where they were subsequently subducted and melted. The late Palaeozoic isotopic shift of zircon indicates that the greening of the continents was recorded in the deep Earth.

古生代陆地植物的进化改变了地球的生物圈。由于地球表面和内部通过构造过程联系在一起，生物圈和沉积岩的相关演化应记录为大陆地壳组成的近现代变化。为了验证这一假设，我们评估了在俯冲带形成的锆石同位素特征，在俯冲带中，海洋沉积物被输送到地幔中，从而记录了地表环境与地球深处之间的相互作用。利用岩浆锆石的氧和镥-铪同位素分别跟踪表面风化（与时间无关）和放射性衰变（与时间相关），我们发现 430 Myr 前大陆地壳的组成存在相关性，这与与维管植物进化相关的沉积系统的复杂性和稳定性的增强同时发生。陆地植被的扩张带来了通道化的沙床和蜿蜒的河流、泥泞的泛滥平原和更厚的土壤，延长了最终海洋沉积之前的风化持续时间。总的来说，我们的研究结果表明，维管植物的进化与风化程度和沉积物路线到沉积盆地的时间尺度有关，这些盆地随后被俯冲和融化。晚古生代锆石同位素位移表明大陆的绿化是在地球深处记录的。泥泞的漫滩和较厚的土壤，延长了最终海洋沉积之前的风化持续时间。总的来说，我们的研究结果表明，维管植物的进化与风化程度和沉积物路线到沉积盆地的时间尺度有关，这些盆地随后被俯冲和融化。晚古生代锆石同位素位移表明大陆的绿化是在地球深处记录的。泥泞的漫滩和较厚的土壤，延长了最终海洋沉积之前的风化持续时间。总的来说，我们的研究结果表明，维管植物的进化与风化程度和沉积物路线到沉积盆地的时间尺度有关，这些盆地随后被俯冲和融化。晚古生代锆石同位素位移表明大陆的绿化是在地球深处记录的。