ORIGIN OF LIFE GEOLOGICAL MAP

Question 1

Concentration of atmospheric oxygen begins to increase
Oldest known rocks on Earth’s surface
Oldest fossils of cells (prokaryotes) appear
Origin of Earth

Answer 1

Ediacaran

Question 2

Sudden increase in diversity of many animal phyla (Cambrian explosion)

Answer 2

Cambrian

Question 3

Marine algae abundant; colonization of land by diverse fungi, plants, and animals

Answer 3

Ordovician

Question 4

Diversification of early vascular plants

Answer 4

Silurian

Question 5

Diversification of bony fishes; first tetrapods and insects appear

Answer 5

Devonian

Question 6

Extensive forests of vascular plants form; first seed plants appear; origin of reptiles; amphibians dominant

Answer 6

Carboniferous

Question 7

Radiation of reptiles; origin of most
present-day groups of insects; extinction of many marine and terrestrial organisms at end of period

Answer 7

Permian

Question 8

Cone-bearing plants (gymnosperms) dominate landscape; dinosaurs evolve and radiate; origin of mammals

Answer 8

Triassic

Question 9

Gymnosperms continue as dominant plants; dinosaurs abundant and diverse

Answer 9

Jurassic

Question 10

Flowering plants (angiosperms) appear and diversify; many groups of organisms, including most dinosaurs, become extinct at end of period

Answer 10

Cretaceous

Question 11

Major radiation of mammals, birds, and pollinating insects

Answer 11

Paleocene

Question 12

Angiosperm dominance increases; continued radiation of most present-day mammalian orders

Answer 12

Eocene

Question 13

Origins of many primate groups,
including apes

Answer 13

Oligocene

Question 14

Continued radiation of mammals and angiosperms; apelike ancestors of humans appear

Answer 14

Miocene

Question 15

Origin of genus Homo

Answer 15

Pliocene

Question 16

Ice ages; humans appear

Answer 16

Pleistocene