Difference between revisions of "Mass Extinction"
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Revision as of 20:21, 22 April 2019
Contents
Key Stage 3
Meaning
A mass extinction is when a large number of species in a community become extinct at the same time.
Key Stage 4
Meaning
A mass extinction is when a large number of species in a community become extinct at the same time.
About Mass Extinctions
Since life began on Earth there have been 5 great mass extinctions:
- Ordovician–Silurian Extinction - 439 million years ago 86% of life on Earth was made extinct by the climate rapidly cooling.
- Devonian Extinction - 364 million years ago 75% of life on Earth was made extinct too many nutrients washed into the oceans causing eutrophication killing sea life.
- Permian–Triassic extinction - 251 million years ago 96% of life on Earth was made extinct when volcanic eruptions ignited coal deposits poisoning the atmosphere.
- Triassic–Jurassic extinction - Between 199 to 214 million years ago many species became extinct due to a number of events including climate change. This extinction led to the dominance of dinosaurs.
- Cretaceous–Paleogene extinction - 66 million years ago 76% of life on Earth was made extinct due to an asteroid impact on Earth. This extinction led to the end of dinosaurs and the dominance of mammals.
- ... Some scientists believe we are in the middle of another mass extinction caused by humans because around 200 species are going extinct every day.