What are the major events in the Cenozoic Era?

What are the major events in the Cenozoic Era?

The Cenozoic Era is divided into two periods, the Paleogene and Neogene which are divided into epochs. The Cenozoic has seen the extinction of the non-avian dinosaurs and the rise of mankind. It is marked by the Cretaceous-Tertiary extinction event at the end of the Cretaceous period and the end of the Mesozoic Era.

What are the periods in the Cenozoic Era?

Paleogene
NeogeneQuaternary
Cenozoic/Periods

The Cenozoic Era spans the interval from 66 million years ago to present. It is divided into the Paleogene Period (66–23 million years ago) and Neogene Period (23 million years ago to present).

What was the first climate change that occurred in the Cenozoic Era?

For the first time during the Cenozoic, the tropical surface and deep waters recorded a clear divergence in δ 18O values, a trend that increased in magnitude and reached a maximum in the modern ocean.

How has the climate changed during the Cenozoic Era?

The global climate of the early portion of the Cenozoic period was much warmer than it is today, and the overall climate of the Earth was much more consistent regardless of proximity to the equator. The Neogene period saw a drastic cooling, which continued into the Pleistocene epoch of the Quaternary period.

What geological changes occurred during the Pliocene epoch?

The change to a cooler, dry, seasonal climate had considerable impacts on Pliocene vegetation, reducing tropical species worldwide. Deciduous forests proliferated, coniferous forests and tundra covered much of the north, and grasslands spread on all continents (except Antarctica).

Why does global cooling occur during the Cenozoic?

CO2 is removed from the atmosphere during this geochemical process (see section 2.6. 1). Cenozoic mountain building may therefore have indirectly reduced the greenhouse forcing of the Earth-atmosphere system, enhancing global cooling.

What caused global cooling during the Pleistocene?

Pleistocene climate was marked by repeated glacial cycles in which continental glaciers pushed to the 40th parallel in some places. It is estimated that, at maximum glacial extent, 30% of the Earth’s surface was covered by ice.

What happened in the beginning of the Cenozoic Era?

The beginning of the Cenozoic Era began when the Mesozoic Era ended and dinosaurs became extinct. This first period is called the Paleogene Period and began 65.5 million years ago and ended 23.03 million years ago.

What happened during the Pliocene era?

The Pliocene Epoch (5.3 million to 2.6 million years ago) was very similar to the present… Mastodons (elephant-like animals) underwent a great evolutionary diversification during the Pliocene, and many variant forms developed, adapted to varying ecological environments. In North America, rhinoceroses became extinct.