In a groundbreaking new study published in Nature Communications, a multidisciplinary team of scientists led by Xu, Yu, and Yin has unveiled compelling evidence that the catastrophic climate of the Early Triassic period, often referred to as a “super-greenhouse” event, was primarily driven by the collapse of terrestrial vegetation rather than volcanic activity alone. This research offers a transformative perspective on one of Earth’s most extreme climatic intervals, reshaping our understanding of the feedback mechanisms that govern planetary climate systems during mass extinction events.
The Early Triassic epoch, immediately following the Permian-Triassic extinction—Earth’s most severe known biotic crisis—has long been characterized by exceptionally high global temperatures, elevated atmospheric carbon dioxide concentrations, and prolonged ecological instability. Traditional models have attributed this super-greenhouse climate largely to massive volcanic outgassing associated with the Siberian Traps flood basalts. However, emerging geochemical data, sedimentological records, and advanced climate simulations now underscore the pivotal role that the destruction of global vegetation cover played in intensifying greenhouse conditions.
Xu and colleagues’ meticulous approach combined paleobotanical analyses with sophisticated climate modeling to reconstruct the feedback loops between land ecosystems and atmospheric processes. Their findings reveal how the widespread collapse of forests and other plant communities triggered a cascade of biophysical changes, including drastically reduced carbon sequestration, increased soil erosion, and altered surface albedo. These processes synergistically amplified greenhouse warming beyond the initial input from volcanic carbon emissions, sustaining elevated temperatures over millions of years and delaying ecological recovery.
The study elucidates the complex interplay between terrestrial ecosystems and climate, demonstrating that the loss of vegetation amplified atmospheric CO2 levels by disrupting the biological carbon pump. Without sufficient plant life to absorb carbon through photosynthesis, CO2 accumulated in the atmosphere, enhancing the greenhouse effect. This biotic feedback mechanism underscores the vulnerability of Earth’s climate system to changes in land cover, a dynamic that remains crucial for contemporary climate considerations.
Furthermore, sedimentary evidence analyzed by the authors highlights increased rates of soil and nutrient runoff into the oceans, which may have exacerbated marine anoxia and contributed to prolonged deformation of marine ecosystems in the Early Triassic. The disruption of hydrological cycles due to vegetation loss also likely intensified aridity in continental interiors, further stressing terrestrial biota and perpetuating a vicious cycle of environmental degradation and climate instability.
One of the most striking revelations of this research is the temporal persistence of this super-greenhouse state. The study’s climate models suggest that the loss of vegetation forced the Earth system into a state of energy imbalance, where increased solar radiation absorption by darkened, barren land surfaces reinforced atmospheric warming. This positive feedback mechanism prolonged elevated temperatures for an estimated five to ten million years, aligning closely with fossil data indicating delayed biotic recovery in the post-extinction interval.
The implications of these findings extend beyond paleoclimate reconstruction. They provide a cautionary tale for the modern era, in which anthropogenic deforestation and land-use changes risk triggering analogous feedback loops on a much shorter timescale. The Early Triassic super-greenhouse episode exemplifies how ecosystem collapse can intensify climate change, underscoring the necessity of protecting vegetative cover as a critical component of planetary health.
Additionally, the paper explores the mechanistic pathways by which vegetation collapse influenced atmospheric chemistry and climate. Changes in evapotranspiration rates, a key process by which plants regulate local and regional humidity, likely altered atmospheric moisture content and precipitation patterns. These shifts would have contributed to continental drying and the expansion of deserts, as supported by sedimentological proxies for aridity documented in the study.
This research also refines the stratigraphic timeline of the Early Triassic, integrating carbon isotope excursions and paleosol records to correlate episodes of vegetation loss with bursts of atmospheric CO2 increase. The high-resolution data allow for deeper insight into the sequence of environmental collapse, highlighting a series of feedback events rather than a singular catastrophic cause.
A particularly innovative aspect of the study lies in its use of coupled Earth system models that integrate vegetation dynamics, soil processes, ocean chemistry, and atmospheric physics. This holistic approach represents a significant advance over earlier models that treated biotic and abiotic systems separately, offering a more nuanced and interconnected understanding of Earth’s response to mass extinctions.
By framing the Early Triassic super-greenhouse event as a consequence of vegetation collapse, the authors challenge long-held assumptions in paleoclimate science while opening new avenues for research into the resilience and thresholds of terrestrial ecosystems. The study calls for further investigation into how ancient biosphere-climate interactions can inform projections of future climate trajectories and ecosystem responses to anthropogenic pressures.
The experimental protocols, drawing upon fossil plant assemblages from diverse geographic locations and integrating multidisciplinary datasets, exemplify the power of collaborative science in unraveling complex Earth system phenomena. This work is a testament to the importance of integrating geological, biological, and atmospheric sciences to reconstruct deep-time climate events with unprecedented resolution.
Moreover, the study emphasizes that terrestrial ecosystems should be viewed as active agents in climate regulation rather than passive victims. This paradigm shift is critical for improving Earth system models and refining geoengineering strategies aimed at mitigating climate change, where reforestation and restoration efforts are increasingly recognized as vital for maintaining carbon balance.
In conclusion, the findings presented by Xu, Yu, Yin, and collaborators redefine the Early Triassic super-greenhouse climate as a dramatic manifestation of biosphere-climate feedbacks precipitated by global vegetation collapse. This refined understanding not only illuminates the profound interconnectedness of life and climate across geological timescales but also serves as a stark reminder of the potentially irreversible consequences of ecosystem degradation in the Anthropocene.
Subject of Research: Early Triassic super-greenhouse climate dynamics influenced by terrestrial vegetation collapse
Article Title: Early Triassic super-greenhouse climate driven by vegetation collapse
Article References:
Xu, Z., Yu, J., Yin, H. et al. Early Triassic super-greenhouse climate driven by vegetation collapse. Nat Commun 16, 5400 (2025). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-025-60396-y
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