History of Life
The Paleozoic (or Palaeozoic) Era from the Greek palaios (παλαιός), "old" and zoe (ζωή), "life", meaning
"ancient life") is the earliest of three geologic eras of the Phanerozoic Eon. Life began in the ocean but
eventually transitioned onto land, and by the late Paleozoic, it was dominated by various forms of
organisms. Great forests of primitive plants covered the continents, many of which formed the coal beds
of Europe and eastern North America. Towards the end of the era, large, sophisticated diapsids and
synapsids were dominant and the first modern plants (conifers) appeared.
Periods of the Paleozoic Era There are six periods in the Paleozoic
Era: Cambrian, Ordovician, Silurian, Devonian, Carboniferous (alternatively subdivided into the
Mississippian Period and the Pennsylvanian Period), and the Permian.
Cambrian Period
The Cambrian marked a boom in evolution in an event known as
the Cambrian explosion in which the largest number of creatures
evolved in any single period of the history of the Earth. Creatures
like algae evolved, but the most ubiquitous of that period were the
armored arthropods, like trilobites. Almost all marine phyla evolved
in this period. During this time, the supercontinent Pannotia begins
to break up, most of which later became the supercontinent
Gondwana.
Trilobites
Trilobites
Ordovician Period T
Trilobites
Main page: Ordovician
Cephalaspis (a jawless fish)
The Ordovician spanned from approximately 485 million
years to approximately 443 million years ago. The
Ordovician was a time in Earth's history in which many of
the biological classes still prevalent today evolved, such as
primitive fish, cephalopods, and coral. The most common
forms of life, however, were trilobites, snails and
shellfish. More importantly, the first arthropods went ashore to colonize the empty continent
of Gondwana. By the end of the Ordovician, Gondwana was at the south pole, early North
America had collided with Europe, closing the Atlantic Ocean. Glaciation of Africa resulted in a
major drop in sea level, killing off all life that had established along coastal Gondwana. Glaciation
may have caused the Ordovician–Silurian extinction events, in which 60% of marine invertebrates
and 25% of families became extinct, and is considered the first mass extinction event and the
second deadliest.
Silurian Period
The Silurian spanned from 443 to 416 million years ago. The Silurian saw the rejuvenation of life
as the Earth recovered from the previous glaciation. This period saw the mass evolution of fish,
as jawless fish became more numerous, jawed fish evolved, and the first freshwater fish
evolved, though arthropods, such as sea scorpions, were still apex predators. Fully terrestrial
life evolved, including early arachnids, fungi, and centipedes. The evolution of vascular plants
(Cooksonia) allowed plants to gain a foothold on land. These early plants were the forerunners of
all plant life on land. During this time, there were four continents: Gondwana (Africa, South
America, Australia, Antarctica, Siberia), Laurentia (North America), Baltica (Northern Europe),
and Avalonia (Western Europe). The recent rise in sea levels allowed many new species to thrive
in water.
Devonian Period
Main page: Devonian
Eogyrinus (an amphibian) of the Carboniferous
The Devonian spanned from 416 million years to 359
million years ago. Also known as "The Age of the Fish", the
Devonian featured a huge diversification of fish, including
armored fish like Dunkleosteus and lobe-finned fish which
eventually evolved into the first tetrapods. On land, plant groups diversified incredibly in an
event known as the Devonian Explosion when plants made lignin allowing taller growth and vascular
tissue: the first trees evolved, as well as seeds. This event also diversified arthropod life, by
providing them new habitats. The first amphibians also evolved, and the fish were now at the top
of the food chain. Near the end of the Devonian, 70% of all species became extinct in an event
known as the Late Devonian extinction, which was the Earth's second mass extinction event.
Carboniferous Period
Main page: Carboniferous
The Carboniferous spanned from 359 million to 299 million years ago. During this time, average
global temperatures were exceedingly high; the early Carboniferous averaged at about 20
degrees Celsius (but cooled to 10 °C during the Middle Carboniferous). Tropical swamps
dominated the Earth, and the lignin stiffened trees grew to greater heights and number. As the
bacteria and fungi capable of eating the lignin had not yet evolved, their remains were left
buried, which created much of the carbon that became the coal deposits of today (hence the
name "Carboniferous"). Perhaps the most important evolutionary development of the time was
the evolution of amniotic eggs, which allowed amphibians to move farther inland and remain the
dominant vertebrates for the duration of this period. Also, the first reptiles
and synapsids evolved in the swamps. Throughout the Carboniferous, there was a cooling trend,
which led to the Permo-Carboniferous glaciation or the Carboniferous Rainforest
Collapse. Gondwana was glaciated as much of it was situated around the south pole.
Permian Period
Main page: Permian
Synapsid: Dimetrodon
The Permian spanned from 299 to 252 million years ago and
was the last period of the Paleozoic Era. At the beginning of
this period, all continents joined together to form the
supercontinent Pangaea, which was encircled by one ocean
called Panthalassa. The land mass was very dry during this
time, with harsh seasons, as the climate of the interior of Pangaea was not regulated by large
bodies of water. Diapsids and synapsids flourished in the new dry climate. Creatures such
as Dimetrodon and Edaphosaurus ruled the new continent. The first conifers evolved, and
dominated the terrestrial landscape. Near the end of the Permian, however, Pangaea grew drier.
The interior was desert, and new species such as Scutosaurus and Gorgonopsids filled it.
Eventually they disappeared, along with 95% of all life on Earth, in a cataclysm known as "The
Great Dying", the third and most severe mass extinction.
Period of Mesozoic Era
The Mesozoic was the geological era in which dinosaurs lived, among with other animals. It
lasted around 186 million years, starting 252.2 mya (million years ago) with the P/Tr extinction
and ending 66 mya with the K/T extinction (the one that killed dinosaurs).
Dinosaurs appeared around 231 mya (21 million years after the beginning of the Mesozoic).
They evolved from early reptiles called the archosaurs (a group of which modern birds and
crocodiles are still part).
Within the three periods of the Mesozoic Era ( Triassic, Jurassic and Cretaceous) there
were times of wide temperature and seasonal variation.
The Triassic period was the beginning of dinosaurs evolving and roaming around the Earth.
The Triassic period ran from about 248 to 2 million years ago. The Earth was a very different
place back then. It was one super massive continent called Pangaea. It stretched from one pole
to the next and right in the middle was a massive big desert. There were no plants, but there
were some ferns and mosses that covered small parts of this huge continent. Right in the middle
of the Triassic period, Pangaea started to break up which would eventually form smaller pieces
of land. The Archosaurs, which were known as the ‘ruling reptiles, and crocodile-like predators
were the most successful of the animals that were rivals to the dinosaurs when they appeared.
However, by the end of the Triassic period they had died out, so dinosaurs still ruled!
During the Triassic period many new forms of life appeared. First came tiny little mammals
along with turtles, frogs, salamanders, lizards and snakes. The dinosaurs were small, and most
were quite similar to each other
The Jurassic period was a time when dinosaurs roamed the Earth, and it began about 199
million years ago! A lot of animals died off during the Triassic period which meant that dinosaurs
could rule the Earth over this time. There were heaps of dinosaurs all over the place. Just like
the movie we guess, but with no humans of course. The movie Jurassic park was named this, as
the Jurassic period was the main time when dinosaurs rocked the world.
During the Jurassic period, about 150 million years ago, birds became like small flying
dinosaurs. Cool stuff.
In the warmer areas, the plants were mainly ferns, but in the colder areas you would
mostly find pine trees.
Scientists believe that there was no ice at the Polar Regions during this time. Wow!
The Jurassic period lasted about 55 million years…that is a seriously long time.
During this time, loads of different types of animals appeared like new types of dinosaurs,
mammals, which were all the size of rats, and reptiles. The plated dinosaurs, like the
sauropods were formed, which were heavy, long necked dinosaurs that walked on four legs.
Large theropods or meat eating dinosaurs also evolved. Wow, these were certainly
interesting times.
Some of the largest animals to ever live were in the Jurassic period, like the
Brachiosaurus, who was a plant eating dinosaur. It was as tall as a four storey building!
Whoa, that’s unbelievable. Don’t think it would be cool to bump into this dinosaur.
The cretaceous period was a time in history when dinosaurs roamed the Earth, for the last
time. During this time, the Earth’s climate changed dramatically. It became cooler with rain and
snow starting to appear. There were even glaciers that were formed.
Did you know that the cretaceous period was 145 million years ago. Wow, that is a long,
long time ago. At this time, the continents were drifting away from each other, and that meant
that dinosaurs began to change, or evolve and become more different from each other.
Then in the middle of the cretaceous period, volcanoes began to erupt all over the place. A
lot of carbon dioxide was shot out into the air and warmed the planet, and was one of the
warmest periods in the history of the Earth. But the poles were super cold still, where
temperatures dropped well below freezing.
There were herbivores (plant eating), omnivores (plant and meat eating) and carnivores
(meat eating) dinosaurs. During this time, many plants, flowers and insects popped up, making it a
real happy place for those herbivores and omnivores. Life sure was a bit easier for them now!
Bees started buzzing about doing their work, and by the end of the cretaceous period, most of
the plants were flowering ones. Now that’s pretty cool. Good old bees.
If you know the movie Jurassic Park, then three of the stars of the movie made their
appearance during this time. They were the Triceratops, Tyrannosaurus Rex and Velociraptor.
Lucky we weren’t there to try and run away from some of these fearful creatures!
The T-Rex which was the "tyrant lizard king" was one seriously scary predator who evolved
during the late Cretaceous. They grew to nearly 40 feet (12 m in length). They weighed about 5
tonnes and could open their jaws 1 m wide. That would not be such a cool thing to see!
When you compare Velociraptors to the mighty T-Rex, then this one was a baby. They
were only 6 feet (1.8 m) in length and weighed about 33 pounds (15 kg). 33 pounds is about the
weight of a cinder block, just to give you an idea. They were seriously fast though, so you’d have
a tough time keeping up with them.
The Triceratops is certainly well-known for its 3 horns. He decided to appear in the late
cretaceous period. He was about 30 feet (9 m) long and weighed up to 10 tonnes. You’ve probably
seen pictures of these, and besides those 3 deadly horns, they also had a bony frill behind their
head. The Triceratops munched on plants.
Cenozoic Period
The Cenozoic Era, which began about 65
million years ago and continues into the present, is
the third documented era in the history of Earth.
The current locations of the continents and their
modern-day inhabitants, including humans, can be
traced to this period.
The term Cenozoic, first spelled
"Kainozoic," was originally used in an 1840 entry in
the Penny Cyclopedia encyclopedia in an article
written by British geologist John Phillips. The
name is derived from the Greek phrase meaning
“recent life.” The global climate of the early
portion of the Cenozoic Period was much warmer
than it is today, and the overall climate of the Earth was much more consistent regardless of
proximity to the equator. The Cenozoic Era is also known as the Age of Mammals because the
extinction of many groups of giant mammals, allowing smaller species to thrive and diversify
because their predators no longer existed. Due to the large span of time covered by the period,
it is beneficial to discuss the animal population by the milestone of the era rather than in
generalities.
The Cenozoic Era is divided into three periods:
Paleogene Period (65-23 million years ago), which consists of the Paleocene, Eocene
and Oligocene epochs)
Neogene Period (23-2.6 million years ago), which includes the Miocene and Pliocene
epochs)
Quaternary Period (2.6 million years ago to the present), consisting the Pleistocene
and Holocene epochs).
