Extinction

Question 1

What are the consequences of extinction

Answer 1

1. loss of species, which can effect biodiversity causing others to thrive, changes to community structure
2. loss of populations, extirpation

Question 2

What 3 specific groups are more likely to go extinct

Answer 2

1. larger organisms (require more land)
2. smaller populations (more susceptible to random events)
3. specialists

Question 3

Define mass extinction

Answer 3

large-scale global, sudden, relatively rapid loss of species that is taxonimally widespread

Question 4

What are the 5 mass extinctions

Answer 4

end of Ordovician, Devonian, Permian, Triassic, and Cretaceous

Question 5

Explain end of Ordovician mass extinction

Answer 5

caused by a cooling climate because of volcanism exposing glacial maximum of sea shelves, flooding of shelves and freshwater melting
fish, plants, and terrestrial arthropods present
eliminated approx 85%

Question 6

Explain end of Devonian mass extinction

Answer 6

fish, plants, and terrestrial arthropods present
lost 70%, mostly marine
caused = climate change and ocean anoxia

Question 7

Explain end of Permian mass extinction

Answer 7

largest extinction (great dying)
lost 95%
end of synapsid dominance
cause = plate movement and volcanism (increased temperature, pangea formed)

Question 8

Explain end of Triassic mass extinction

Answer 8

loss of terrestrial archosaurs
1st dinosaur radiation
caused by volcanism and climate change

Question 9

Explain end of Cretaceous mass extinction

Answer 9

70% became extinct
lost giant reptiles, tropical corals, left dinosaurs, large tetrapods
2nd dinosaur radiation
cause = meteor impact