  Ecosystem-bedrock interactions power the biogeochemical cycles of Earth's
shallow crust, supporting life, stimulating substrate transformation, and
spurring evolutionary innovation. While oxidative processes have dominated half
of terrestrial history, the relative contribution of the biosphere and its
chemical fingerprints on Earth's developing regolith are still poorly
constrained. Here, we report results from a two-year incipient weathering
experiment. We found that the mass release and compartmentalization of major
elements during weathering of granite, rhyolite, schist and basalt was
rock-specific and regulated by ecosystem components.
  A tight interplay between physiological needs of different biota, mineral
dissolution rates, and substrate nutrient availability resulted in intricate
elemental distribution patterns. Biota accelerated CO2 mineralization over
abiotic controls as ecosystem complexity increased, and significantly modified
stoichiometry of mobilized elements. Microbial and fungal components inhibited
element leaching (23.4% and 7%), while plants increased leaching and biomass
retention by 63.4%. All biota left comparable biosignatures in the dissolved
weathering products. Nevertheless, the magnitude and allocation of weathered
fractions under abiotic and biotic treatments provide quantitative evidence for
the role of major biosphere components in the evolution of upper continental
crust, presenting critical information for large-scale biogeochemical models
and for the search for stable in situ biosignatures beyond Earth.
