Scientists from the US and UK have linked the ancient mass extinction to the appearance of trees. Their scientific study is published in the GSA Bulletin.
The study was conducted by experts from Indiana University (USA) and the University of Southampton (UK). They concluded that the appearance of trees and their root systems was responsible for the mass extinction over 350 million years ago.
During the so-called Devonian-Carboniferous crisis, about 70% of marine species disappeared from the face of the Earth. Scientists have come to the conclusion that the trees that spread around the planet received carbon and minerals from previously untouched soils.
As a result, rivers carried huge amounts of nutrients and plants into the oceans, which did not decompose well. This created a breeding ground for algae. However, the decomposition of these algae by bacteria consumes oxygen from the water. Because of this, deoxygenation of the oceans occurred, which led to the extinction of marine species.
Scientists also pointed out that a similar situation is happening now due to water pollution, in particular, fertilizers. This pollution needs to be reduced by using less fertilizer and more efficient wastewater treatment.