Land plants are thought to impact Earth's radiation balance in a number of ways. Plant directly modify the surface albedo, and their aerosol emissions change the aerosol cloud interactions influencing the planetary albedo. In the marine realm photosynthetic organism mediate the emissions of different levels of aerosols, that intern influence the aerosol cloud interactions. The plant-aerosol-cloud interactions vary spatially and temporally on the present Earth. Early in Earth history there were no land plants. Later evolution land plant change both the surface cover and aerosol emissions. Later land plant ecosystems have changes have changed in response to evolution and/or changing continental plate configuration.

At present aerosol-cloud interactions represents the largest uncertainty in climate change assessments. In order to reduce this uncertainty this session aims to bring together researchers interested in accessing the climate relevance of land plants and marine algae in the climate of the past, present and future.