Geological Eras and Major Events

These flashcards cover key vocabulary and concepts from the geological time periods, major events, and evolutionary milestones discussed in the lecture notes.

Pre-Paleozoic

The time period before the Paleozoic Era, around 650 million years ago, characterized by the ancient supercontinent Pannotia and major ice ages.

Pannotia

An ancient supercontinent that existed before the Paleozoic Era.

Paleozoic Era

The geological era from 540 to 250 million years ago known for the emergence of hard-shelled animals and early vertebrates.

Jawed fishes

Fish species that evolved jaws during the Paleozoic Era, becoming top predators in aquatic environments.

Carboniferous Period

Period of the Paleozoic Era from 350 to 300 million years ago marked by extensive plant life and the formation of coal deposits.

Permo-Triassic Crisis

The greatest extinction event around 250 million years ago, leading to the loss of 96% of marine species and 70% of terrestrial species.

Synapsids

A group of animals that includes mammals and their extinct relatives, which appeared in the late Paleozoic Era.

Mesozoic Era

The geological era from 250 to 65 million years ago, known as the Age of Dinosaurs.

Triassic Period

The first period of the Mesozoic Era, from 250 to 205 million years ago, where life began diversifying after the Permo-Triassic extinction.

Jurassic Period

The second period of the Mesozoic Era, from 205 to 145 million years ago, characterized by the ongoing breakup of Pangea.

Cretaceous Period

The last period of the Mesozoic Era, from 145 to 65 million years ago, noted for high sea levels and the diversity of dinosaurs.

K/T Boundary

The transition between the Cretaceous and Tertiary periods marked by a mass extinction event.

Cenozoic Era

The geological era from 65 million years ago to the present day, known as the Age of Mammals.

Paleogene Period

The period of the Cenozoic Era from 65 to 23 million years ago, including the Paleocene, Eocene, and Oligocene epochs.

Paleocene Epoch

The epoch within the Paleogene Period from 65 to 55 million years ago.

Eocene Epoch

The epoch in the Paleogene Period from 55 to 34 million years ago known for the evolution of grasslands and grass-eating mammals.

Oligocene Epoch

The epoch in the Paleogene Period from 34 to 23 million years ago, characterized by major collisions of tectonic plates.

Neogene Period

The period of the Cenozoic from 23 to 2 million years ago, rich in placental and marsupial mammal dispersion.

Quaternary Period

The most recent geological time period beginning 2 million years ago to the present.

Pleistocene Epoch

The epoch within the Quaternary Period marked by significant glaciations and mammal extinctions.

Holocene Epoch

The current epoch of the Quaternary Period, characterized by human development.

Last Glacial Maximum

The most recent period of extensive glaciation during the Pleistocene epoch.

Mammal Extinctions

Loss of various mammal species during the Pleistocene, particularly in North America.

Pangea

A supercontinent that existed during the late Paleozoic and early Mesozoic eras.

Mountain Building

The geological process resulting in the formation of mountains, such as the Appalachians and Rockies.

Therians

Mammals belonging to the infraclass Theria, which includes marsupials and placentals.

Inland Seas

Large bodies of water that existed within continents during different geological periods.

Flowering Plant Radiation

The rapid diversification of flowering plants that took place during the late Mesozoic Era.

Dust Cloud Darkening

A theory for mass extinction events explaining how dust and soot could block sunlight.

Collisional Events

Major geological events where tectonic plates collide, leading to mountain building.

Ice Ages

Periods in Earth’s history where large areas were covered by ice sheets.

Extinctions

The process of a species disappearing from existence; significant during the K/T boundary.

Tibetan Plateau

A large elevated plateau in Central Asia formed from tectonic activity, especially from the collision of India and Asia.

Grasslands

Ecosystems characterized by open spaces and grassy vegetation that evolved during the Eocene.

Marsupials

Mammals that give birth to relatively undeveloped young, species widely distributed during Cenozoic.

Climate Change

Long-term alterations in temperature and typical weather patterns, significant in the late Cenozoic.

Modern World

The current state of the Earth characterized by human impact and development.

Pangea Ultima

A hypothetical future supercontinent that may form as plate tectonics continue.

Vicariance

The geographical separation of a population, leading to speciation.

Dinosaurs

A diverse group of reptiles that became the dominant terrestrial vertebrates during the Mesozoic Era.

Coal Deposits

Natural accumulations of coal that were formed from ancient plant material in warm, swampy environments.

Marine Species

Species that inhabit oceanic environments, significantly impacted by mass extinction events.

Terrestrial Species

Species that live primarily on land, also affected by extinction events.

Genera

Plural of genus, a rank used in the biological classification of living organisms.

Families

Taxonomic ranks used to classify and organize groups of related organisms.

Global Climate

The average climate of the Earth or regions over long periods of time.

Flora and Fauna

The plant and animal life, respectively, of a particular region or time period.

Evolution of Mammals

The adaptive development of mammal species over geological time.

North America

A continent that has undergone significant geological and biological changes throughout Earth’s history.

Asia

The continent where major tectonic activity and evolution took place during the Cenozoic Era.

Dust and Soot

Particulate matter that can influence Earth’s climate, especially during extinction events.

Warm Water Movement

Oceanic currents that can affect global temperatures and climate.

Floral Diversity

The variety of plant species present in a given environment or time period.

Ecosystem Changes

Alterations to ecological communities caused by various geological and climate factors.

Glaciation

The process of ice formation and expansion over large areas.

Human-induced Extinctions

Species loss attributed to human activity; significant in the context of modern biodiversity.

Pleistocene Extinctions

The mass extinction events occurring at the end of the Pleistocene epoch, especially affecting large mammals.

Mesozoic Oceans

The bodies of saltwater that existed during the Mesozoic Era.

Mass Extinction Events

Periods in Earth's history where biodiversity decreased dramatically in a relatively short time.

Tectonic Plate Collision

The interaction of rigid plates that make up Earth's surface, causing geological activity.

Crude Oil

A natural, unrefined petroleum product composed of hydrocarbon deposits.

Evolution of Grass-Eating Mammals

The development of herbivorous mammals that adapted to consume grass, significant in the Cenozoic era.

Ice Cover Expansion

The increase in land covered by ice, particularly notable during glacial periods.

Major India Collision

The tectonic event involving the collision of the Indian subcontinent with the Eurasian plate, forming the Himalayas.

Antarctica Covered by Ice

The formation of ice sheets covering the continent of Antarctica, a significant event in Earth’s history.

Flora Expansion

The spread and diversification of plant life over geological time.

High Sea Levels

Periods when the ocean’s surface is significantly higher than normal due to geological or climatic shifts.

Ocean Basins

Depressed areas of the Earth’s crust that hold the oceans.

Human Impact

Effects caused by human activities on the planet, particularly on ecosystems and climate.