Mass Extinction

  • Ordivican Period Begins
    450 BCE

    Ordivican Period Begins

    Carbon Isotopes, measured from the preserved soils of the Ordovician Period, estimated that atmospheric carbon levels were 14-16 times higher. This led to the belief of high volcanic activity. Clear evidence of warm temperatures in the tropics can be seen in the extensive Ordovician limestone deposits with features similar to those found in modern tropical carbonate areas.
  • 441 BCE

    Ordivican Extinction Stats

    85% of life was lost. Most life was aquatic life and locted within in the sea. These organisms included trilobites, brachiopods and graptolites.
  • Shelled Trilobite
    441 BCE

    Shelled Trilobite

  • Bryozoans
    441 BCE

    Bryozoans

  • Graptolites
    441 BCE

    Graptolites

  • 440 BCE

    Ordivican Period End

    Scientisit have suggested that a drop in sea levels had caused the death of many of the species during this period. Its a well respected theory and has a good deal of evidence.
  • Devonian Period Begins
    375 BCE

    Devonian Period Begins

    Theories on the Devonian Period are conflicting so rocks in different areas and environments are used to help with what exactly happened during this period. This included on the distribution of evaporites, shelf carbonates, and corals. Breaking of the continents occurred during evidence and the evidence for this movement includes the reduction in ‘evaporitic environments in western Canada and the onset of humid and moist conditions in the area of New York’.
  • 361 BCE

    Devonian Extintion Stats

    70% - 80% of animal life was lost. These organisms included goniatites, tabulate corals, and brachiopods.
  • Goniatites
    361 BCE

    Goniatites

  • Tabulate Corals
    361 BCE

    Tabulate Corals

  • Brachiopods
    361 BCE

    Brachiopods

  • 360 BCE

    Devonian Period Ends

    This extinction is one of the greater mysteries of all the extinctions and the biggest supported theory for the cause of this extinction is global coolings, sort of like and ice age.
  • Permian Period Beings
    299 BCE

    Permian Period Beings

    Glacial levels were high during this time and the climate change to hot and dry in many areas, which is why it is believed that an increase in global temperatures led to this mass extinction. Many terrestrial plants and insects had evolved together and diversified during this period. This is the largest mass extinction to have occured and only about 10% of species survived.
  • 253 BCE

    Permian Extinction Stats

    96% of all species had died during this extinction. This included crinoids, rugose corals, fusulinids
  • Crinoids
    253 BCE

    Crinoids

  • Rugose Coral
    253 BCE

    Rugose Coral

  • Fusulinids
    253 BCE

    Fusulinids

  • 252 BCE

    Permian Period Ends

    This period's extinction is different from the previous one, in that the cause isn't within the Earth itself. Instead a popular theory suggests that an asteroid or comet had triggered volcanic activity.
  • Triassic Period Begins
    252 BCE

    Triassic Period Begins

    The Triassic Period was the start of great biodiversity in the Mesozoic Era. This period served as the start of the formation of the current continents and sea levels near the coasts rose at a gradual rate. This led to the formation of coral reefs near the coast and large marine reptiles. The first dinosaurs had also developed during this time period.
  • 202 BCE

    Triassic Extinction Stats

    22% of marine families and 52% of marine genera had died during this extinction. These organisms included Brachiopods, Gastropods, and Ammonoids.
  • Brachiopods
    202 BCE

    Brachiopods

  • Gastropods
    202 BCE

    Gastropods

  • Ammonoids
    202 BCE

    Ammonoids

  • 201 BCE

    Triassic Period Ends

    This period's cause of extinction is similar to that of the Permian one, where volcanic activity is to blame. But instead of a comet or asteroid causing it, it was the shifting of the tectonic plates causing the volcanic activity. This in turn increased atomospheric carbon to the point of intense global warming
  • Cretaceous Period Beings
    146 BCE

    Cretaceous Period Beings

    The Cretaceous period is the last period of the three periods that make up the Mesozoic Era. The Cretaceous Period is the longest of all the periods discussed in this project. During this period, Earth’s land was divided into two main continents, Laurasia and Gondwana. “Most of the present-day continents were separated from each other by expanses of water such as the North and South Atlantic Ocean”. India was later separate. Australia was connected to Antarctica.
  • 67 BCE

    Cretaceous Extinction Stats

    16%t of marine families, 47% of marine genera, and 18% of land vertebrate families died out during this extinction. These organisms included Tyrannosaurus, Velociraptor, and Sauropods. This was the end of dinosaurs.
  • Tyrannosaurus
    67 BCE

    Tyrannosaurus

  • Velociraptor
    67 BCE

    Velociraptor

  • Sauropods
    67 BCE

    Sauropods

  • 66 BCE

    Cretaceous Period Ends

    The theory of the Cretaceous extinction is a popular one, and the end of the dinosaurs. It was believed that a massive asteroid had caused the extinction of the dinosaurs. The asteroid was believed to be several miles wide