Weathering as a Physiological Strategy

Existing studies of plant-induced weathering are not designed to discern whether they are actively or passively involved with weathering. The two case studies by the author investigating whether plants participate in weathering actively or passively are introduced. They indicate that bamboo is likely to be actively involved in weathering to absorb silicic acid from Na-bearing feldspar in soil and that pine trees are actively involved in weathering by absorbing calcium from Ca-bearing feldspar after building a symbiotic relationship with a fungus.