Give An Overview Of Life Through The Tertiary, In Relation T
The tertiary consisted of two main epochs. The Paleocene, the Eocene and the Oligocene, which make up the Paleogene; and the Miocene and Pliocene, which make up the Neogene.
The close of the Cretaceous Period marked a major transition in Earth’s history. Ammonoids and marine reptiles disappeared from the sea. Marine taxa that persist as familiar inhabitants of modern ocean, among them bottom dwelling molluscs. On the land, the flowering plants of the Paleogene resembled those of latest Cretaceous time in many ways, but animal life changed dramatically. Taking the place of dinosaurs were the mammals, which were universally small and inconspicuous at the start of the Paleogene interval ...
Want to read the rest of this paper?
Join Essayworld today to view this entire essay
and over 50,000 other term papers
|
acquired their present configuration and prominent topographic features assumed the forms we are familiar with today.
No mass extinction marked the transition from the Paleogene to the Neogene. During the 24 million years of the Neogene, however, life ad Earth’s physical features have changed significantly. The most far-reaching biotic changes were the spread of grasses and weedy plants and the modernization of vertebrate life. Snakes, songbirds, frogs, rats and mice expanded dramatically too, and humans evolved from apes. The Rocky Mountains and the less rugged Appalachians took shape during the Neogene time, as did the imposing Himalayas. The Mediterranean Sea almost disappeared and then rapidly formed again.
The most widespread physical changes on Earth, however, were climatic. Glaciers expanded across large areas of North America and Eurasia late in Neogene time.
The Paleocene was different climatically from the Mesozoic. For one, it was more temperate around the ...
Get instant access to over 50,000 essays.
Write better papers. Get better grades.
Already a member? Login
|
causing a lot of lush swamps and jungles.
Life in the oceans was abundant with new types of wildlife: new fish, crabs, crayfish and the recently evolved whale. Whales probably found their home in the water during this epoch, evolving from hoofed carnivores. Whales took advantage of another food source that had just recently sprung up - plankton.
Land also exploded in new life forms. Penguins, ducks, herons, pelicans and gulls were some of the birds that evolved. Insect newcomers were ants and bees, and poisonous snakes arrived. Mammals also took off: the first bats, bears, tapirs, rhinoceroses, moles, cats, dogs, voles, camels, and rabbits all came into existence. Horses and ...
Succeed in your coursework without stepping into a library.
Get access to a growing library of notes, book reports,
and research papers in 2 minutes or less.
|
CITE THIS PAGE:
Give An Overview Of Life Through The Tertiary, In Relation T. (2006, June 21). Retrieved December 23, 2024, from http://www.essayworld.com/essays/Give-Overview-Life-Through-Tertiary-Relation/47919
"Give An Overview Of Life Through The Tertiary, In Relation T." Essayworld.com. Essayworld.com, 21 Jun. 2006. Web. 23 Dec. 2024. <http://www.essayworld.com/essays/Give-Overview-Life-Through-Tertiary-Relation/47919>
"Give An Overview Of Life Through The Tertiary, In Relation T." Essayworld.com. June 21, 2006. Accessed December 23, 2024. http://www.essayworld.com/essays/Give-Overview-Life-Through-Tertiary-Relation/47919.
"Give An Overview Of Life Through The Tertiary, In Relation T." Essayworld.com. June 21, 2006. Accessed December 23, 2024. http://www.essayworld.com/essays/Give-Overview-Life-Through-Tertiary-Relation/47919.
|
Save
Report