I have a test tomorrow and unfortunately, it's over some un-taught material. Anyone know what the largest known mass extinction was? Permain, KT?
2006-12-20 11:55:15 · 7 answers · asked by suzanne 2 in Environment
It can be argued that we are currently going through the Earth's largest mass extiction right now. This is being called the "sixth extinction." Other than that it seems that the largest mass extinction was the Permian-Triassic extinction event. This took place 251 mya and 96% of all marine species and 70% of all terrestrial vertebrate species became extinct. Check the links for more info, this extinctions reasoning is much more debated than that of the dinosaurs.
It is often misthought that the asteroid that killed the dinosaurs off (Cretaceous-Tertiary extinction) was the largest mass extinction in history. Though not the largest it is often considered the most significant since it paved the road for mammals to become the most dominant land vertibrats. The KT-boundary is a famous layer that is continuous between cretacious and tertiary rock layers on the entire planet. This boundary contains traces of the rare element iridium that is extremely uncommon on Earth, but more common in asteroids which enhanced the asteroid theory.
It is also interesting to know that there are often main extinction events between boundaries. This is how they classify different eras and periods.
2006-12-21 00:41:47 · answer #1 · answered by Cawmaster 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The Permian-Triassic (P-T or PT) extinction event, sometimes informally called the Great Dying, was an extinction event that occurred approximately 251 million years ago (mya), forming the boundary between the Permian and Triassic geologic periods. It was the Earth's most severe extinction event, with about 96 percent of all marine species and 70 percent of terrestrial vertebrate species becoming extinct.
2006-12-20 20:03:55 · answer #2 · answered by cloeor2210 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
an overall extinction of the bird community and i cant remember what they were called but it was a type of woodpecker i believe
2006-12-20 20:04:22 · answer #3 · answered by j.b 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The Permian period. i'm not exactly sure what happened, but it was bigger than KT.
2006-12-20 20:01:16 · answer #4 · answered by John C 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
everytime volcano erupt.there is mass extinction.search the web.
2006-12-20 23:07:09 · answer #5 · answered by aqruipnos888 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
when they banned smoking in New York City....
2006-12-20 20:03:06 · answer #6 · answered by phoenix rising 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
probably the dinosaur extinction.. idk lol
2006-12-20 19:57:37 · answer #7 · answered by teekshi33 4 · 0⤊ 2⤋