Geological Time Scale

These flashcards cover key concepts and terminology from the topic of the Geological Time Scale as outlined in the lecture notes.

Geological Time Scale

A system that describes the timing and relationships of events in Earth's history.

Arthur Holmes

The scientist who developed the first modern Geological Time Scale.

Phanerozoic Eon

The eon that accounts for 12% of Earth's history.

Precambrian

The eon that includes most of Earth's history, around 88%.

Cambrian Explosion

The sudden appearance of many different organisms in the fossil record.

Age of Invertebrates

Refers to the Cambrian and Ordovician Periods.

Age of Fish

Encompasses the Silurian and Devonian Periods.

Trilobites

Dominant arthropod species during the Cambrian Period.

Ferns

The plants that dominated the forests of the Paleozoic Era.

Age of Amphibians

Refers to the Mississippian, Pennsylvanian, and Permian periods.

Permian Extinction

A mass extinction caused by volcanic activity.

Age of Reptiles

Refers to the Mesozoic Era, including the Triassic, Jurassic, and Cretaceous periods.

Conifers

The plants that dominated the forests of the Mesozoic Era.

K-T Boundary

An extinction event caused by an asteroid impact.

Age of Mammals

Refers to the Cenozoic Era.

Angiosperms

The plants that dominate the forests of the Cenozoic Era.

Quaternary Period

The present-day geological time period.

Anthropocene

A proposed Geological Epoch known as the 'Age of Humans'.

Climate Change

The prominent issue indicating the Anthropocene.

Rejection of Anthropocene

Scientifically rejected due to its starting point being too recent.