Permian-Triassic Extinction

“The Mother of all Extinctions”

Permian-Triassic Extinction

“The Mother of all Extinctions”Anne KleinhenzAnne Kleinhenz

Permian-Triassic Extinction

Permian-Triassic Extinction

What was it?The mass extinction at the end of the

Permian that wiped out almost all lifeTook place about 250mya

Paleozoic and Mesozoic ErasTook place over a span of 5-10

million years

What was it?The mass extinction at the end of the

Permian that wiped out almost all lifeTook place about 250mya

Paleozoic and Mesozoic ErasTook place over a span of 5-10

million years

When?When?

5-10 million years is an abnormally long time

Many taxa slowly died out in the beginning

Towards the end, extinctions were more rapid

5-10 million years is an abnormally long time

Many taxa slowly died out in the beginning

Towards the end, extinctions were more rapid

When?When?

Boundary sections in South China show that 280 out of 329 marine invertebrate genera disappear within the final 2 conodont zones of the Permian

In boundary sections preserving a record of the P-Tr transition, large numbers of species disappear over few meters of sediment or less.

Boundary sections in South China show that 280 out of 329 marine invertebrate genera disappear within the final 2 conodont zones of the Permian

In boundary sections preserving a record of the P-Tr transition, large numbers of species disappear over few meters of sediment or less.

How Big?How Big?

Systematic collections show that ~50% of families, and perhaps as much as 90% of all species known from the late Permian disappear from the fossil record during the latest Permian

Killed about 95% species in oceansMarine invertebrates were hit the

worst by extinction

Systematic collections show that ~50% of families, and perhaps as much as 90% of all species known from the late Permian disappear from the fossil record during the latest Permian

Killed about 95% species in oceansMarine invertebrates were hit the

worst by extinction

What Died?What Died?

All trilobites 94% Graptolites All Blastoids,

Acanthodians, Rugose and Tabulate Corals, Pelycosaurs

98% Crinozoans 96% Anthozoans 96% Brachiopod

genera

All trilobites 94% Graptolites All Blastoids,

Acanthodians, Rugose and Tabulate Corals, Pelycosaurs

98% Crinozoans 96% Anthozoans 96% Brachiopod

genera

What Else Died?What Else Died?

85% Gastropods59% Bivalves 79% Bryozoans90% Gastropod genera and 3 of 16 Gastropod families 97% Ammonoids

85% Gastropods59% Bivalves 79% Bryozoans90% Gastropod genera and 3 of 16 Gastropod families 97% Ammonoids

Vertebrates That DiedVertebrates That Died

Extinction for the vertebrates was far less severe than for the invertebrates This has led to less

research and literature on these organisms being published

Tetrapods, amphibians, reptiles were all very prominent during this age

Extinction for the vertebrates was far less severe than for the invertebrates This has led to less

research and literature on these organisms being published

Tetrapods, amphibians, reptiles were all very prominent during this age

Vertebrates That Died and Lived

Vertebrates That Died and Lived

Amphibians died out as the pools of water in which they lived in dried up

Amniota then became dominant By Mid-Permian the Therapsids became

dominant Archosauriformes were also evolving at

the time, and were one of the few vertebrates to make it through the extinction and diversify

Amphibians died out as the pools of water in which they lived in dried up

Amniota then became dominant By Mid-Permian the Therapsids became

dominant Archosauriformes were also evolving at

the time, and were one of the few vertebrates to make it through the extinction and diversify

Vascular plantsVascular plants

Vascular plants showed no major drop or change in numbers

The fossil record shows a gradual transition from Paleozoic to Mesozoic floras

Took place over a period of about 25 million years

Vascular plants showed no major drop or change in numbers

The fossil record shows a gradual transition from Paleozoic to Mesozoic floras

Took place over a period of about 25 million years

Why?Why?There are many theories of what

caused one of the larges extinctions in history:Volcanism ImpactClimate ChangeFormation of PangaeaGlaciationOthers

There are many theories of what caused one of the larges extinctions in history:Volcanism ImpactClimate ChangeFormation of PangaeaGlaciationOthers

ImpactImpact

There is some evidence supporting this theory

Nickel-rich Layers From impact or

heavy-metal rich mantle-derived lavas

Shocked quarts Bedout Crater in

Australia

There is some evidence supporting this theory

Nickel-rich Layers From impact or

heavy-metal rich mantle-derived lavas

Shocked quarts Bedout Crater in

Australia

PangaeaPangaea

Formed during the Late Permian Tectonic movement of the plates had

many side effects Most was inland, so weather was hot and

dry in low lying areas, and unseasonable weather patterns in higher altitudes

Movement of species and more competition

Extreme flooding due to glacial melting and caused reduced land area

Formed during the Late Permian Tectonic movement of the plates had

many side effects Most was inland, so weather was hot and

dry in low lying areas, and unseasonable weather patterns in higher altitudes

Movement of species and more competition

Extreme flooding due to glacial melting and caused reduced land area

VolcanismVolcanism

The Siberian Traps Volcanoes cover approximately 2,000,000 km2 in

Siberia (greater area than Europe) Eruptions lasted at full intensity for about a

million years

The Siberian Traps Volcanoes cover approximately 2,000,000 km2 in

Siberia (greater area than Europe) Eruptions lasted at full intensity for about a

million years

VolcanismVolcanism The Siberian Traps has climate altering

potential by the emission of ash and gases. Initially sulfur aerosols and volcanic ash

block out sunlight, causing rapid cooling. Ash and sulfur aerosols can remain in the

upper atmosphere for 100's to 1000's of years which would be enough to cause a significant glaciation.

At the end of the Permian period the biggest ever drop in sea level in history occurred, indicating large scale glaciation.

The Siberian Traps has climate altering potential by the emission of ash and gases.

Initially sulfur aerosols and volcanic ash block out sunlight, causing rapid cooling.

Ash and sulfur aerosols can remain in the upper atmosphere for 100's to 1000's of years which would be enough to cause a significant glaciation.

At the end of the Permian period the biggest ever drop in sea level in history occurred, indicating large scale glaciation.

VolcanismVolcanismGreenhouse gases warm the climate

by allowing sunlight to pass throughHeat reflected by the Earth itself

cannot penetrate the atmosphere so is retained.

Greenhouse gases stay in the atmosphere much longer so their climate changing effects can last for millions of years.

Greenhouse gases warm the climate by allowing sunlight to pass through

Heat reflected by the Earth itself cannot penetrate the atmosphere so is retained.

Greenhouse gases stay in the atmosphere much longer so their climate changing effects can last for millions of years.

Another Volcanic TheoryAnother Volcanic Theory

PBS Nova Special PBS Nova Special

Linked TheoriesLinked Theories

“The Pangean super continent led to many changes in the shape of the land, glaciation patterns and climate, which in turn altered sea level and salinity of the oceans. These affects are often interlinked. The presence of Pangaea helped to initiate extreme environments, and along with other evidence, such as volcanism and impact, led to the biggest extinction seen in the history of Earth.” (http://palaeo.gly.bris.ac.uk/Palaeofiles/Permian/pangea.html)

“The Pangean super continent led to many changes in the shape of the land, glaciation patterns and climate, which in turn altered sea level and salinity of the oceans. These affects are often interlinked. The presence of Pangaea helped to initiate extreme environments, and along with other evidence, such as volcanism and impact, led to the biggest extinction seen in the history of Earth.” (http://palaeo.gly.bris.ac.uk/Palaeofiles/Permian/pangea.html)

BibliographyBibliography http://palaeo.gly.bris.ac.uk/Palaeofiles/Permian/pangea.

html http://www.geocities.com/earthhistory/permo.htm http://www.earth.rochester.edu/ees207/Mass_Ext/higgin

s_mass4.html http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/sciencenow/3318/01.htm

l Benton. "How to kill(almost) all life: the end-Permian

extinction event." Trends in Ecology 18.7 (2003): 358. Berner. "Examination of hypotheses for the Permo-

Triassic boundary extinction by carbon cycle modeling." Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 99.7 (2002): 4172.

Kidder, David L. and Thomas R. Worsley. "Causes and consequences of extreme Permo-Triassic warming to globally equable climate and relation to the Permo-Triassic extinction and recovery." Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology 203.3-4 (2004), 207-237.

http://palaeo.gly.bris.ac.uk/Palaeofiles/Permian/pangea.html

http://www.geocities.com/earthhistory/permo.htm http://www.earth.rochester.edu/ees207/Mass_Ext/higgin

s_mass4.html http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/sciencenow/3318/01.htm

l Benton. "How to kill(almost) all life: the end-Permian

extinction event." Trends in Ecology 18.7 (2003): 358. Berner. "Examination of hypotheses for the Permo-

Triassic boundary extinction by carbon cycle modeling." Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 99.7 (2002): 4172.

Kidder, David L. and Thomas R. Worsley. "Causes and consequences of extreme Permo-Triassic warming to globally equable climate and relation to the Permo-Triassic extinction and recovery." Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology 203.3-4 (2004), 207-237.