Evolution of geological processes on the early earth and their impact on the early biosphere

Although life already existed in the Paleoarchean (ca. 3.8 Ga), rapid development of the biosphere began only in the Paleoproterozoic, from 2.4–2.3 Ga; this eventually resulted in the emergence of multicellular organisms. This event coincided in time with the irreversible replacement of tectonomagmatic activity, when high-Mg magmatism of the Early Precambrian, derived from depleted mantle, was irreversibly replaced by geochemically enriched Fe-Ti basalts similar to Phanerozoic intraplate magmas. The new type of magmas was characterized by the increased and high content of Fe, Ti, Cu, P, Mn, alkalis, LREE, and other incompatible elements (Zr, Ba, Sr, U, Th, F, etc.), which are required for metabolism and fermentation. It is proposed that this event promoted changes in ecological conditions and rapid development of the biosphere, providing the Earth’s surface with qualitatively new biotic material.