Difference between revisions of "Extinction"
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===About Extinction=== | ===About Extinction=== | ||
| − | + | [[Extinction]] can be caused by a number of factors: | |
*A sudden change in temperature. | *A sudden change in temperature. | ||
*A loss of habitat | *A loss of habitat | ||
| Line 10: | Line 10: | ||
*An isolated [[Biological Community|community]] comes in contact with another. | *An isolated [[Biological Community|community]] comes in contact with another. | ||
*Pollution | *Pollution | ||
| + | *Hunting | ||
===Examples=== | ===Examples=== | ||
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| style="height:20px; width:200px; text-align:center;" |272 million years ago the [[atmosphere]] became [[pollution|polluted]] with [[Hydrogen Sulphide|hydrogen sulphide]] [[gas]], causing all the dimetrodons to [[suffocate]], making them '''extinct'''. | | style="height:20px; width:200px; text-align:center;" |272 million years ago the [[atmosphere]] became [[pollution|polluted]] with [[Hydrogen Sulphide|hydrogen sulphide]] [[gas]], causing all the dimetrodons to [[suffocate]], making them '''extinct'''. | ||
|} | |} | ||
| + | |||
| + | ==Key Stage 4== | ||
| + | ===Meaning=== | ||
| + | [[Extinction]] is when all of the members of a [[species]] have died. | ||
| + | |||
| + | ===About Extinction=== | ||
| + | [[Extinction]] can be caused by a number of factors: | ||
| + | *A sudden change in temperature. | ||
| + | *A loss of habitat | ||
| + | *A food source disappearing. | ||
| + | *An isolated [[Biological Community|community]] comes in contact with another. | ||
| + | *Pollution | ||
| + | *Hunting | ||
| + | |||
| + | ===Mass Extinctions=== | ||
| + | Since life began on [[Earth]] there have been 5 great [[Mass Extinction|mass extinctions]]: | ||
| + | Ordovician–Silurian Extinction - 439 million years ago 86% of life on [[Earth]] was made '''extinct''' by the climate rapidly cooling. | ||
| + | Devonian Extinction - 364 million years ago 75% of life on [[Earth]] was made '''extinct''' too many [[nutrient]]s washed into the oceans causing [[eutrophication]] killing sea life. | ||
| + | Permian–Triassic extinction - 251 million years ago 96% of life on [[Earth]] was made '''extinct''' when [[Volcano|volcanic]] eruptions ignited coal deposits poisoning the atmosphere. | ||
| + | Triassic–Jurassic extinction - Between 199 to 214 million years ago many species became '''extinct''' due to a number of events including climate change. This [[extinction]] led to the dominance of [[dinosaur]]s. | ||
| + | Cretaceous–Paleogene extinction - 66 million years ago 76% of life on [[Earth]] was made '''extinct''' due to an [[asteroid]] impact on [[Earth]]. This [[extinction]] led to the end of [[dinosaur]]s and the dominance of [[mammal]]s. | ||
Revision as of 10:33, 21 November 2018
Contents
Key Stage 3
Meaning
Extinction is when all the members of a species die.
About Extinction
Extinction can be caused by a number of factors:
- A sudden change in temperature.
- A loss of habitat
- A food source disappearing.
- An isolated community comes in contact with another.
- Pollution
- Hunting
Examples
 |
 |
 |
| Orthoceras lived until 485 million years ago. When the oceans became too cold it became extinct | The Woolly Mammoth became extinct when it lost its habitat at the end of the last ice age 10,000 years ago. | Haast's Eagle was the biggest eagle to ever exist, but it became extinct when humans killed all of its prey. |
 |
 | |
| The Dodo lived on a small island with no predators to kill it. When humans arrived, rats came with them and ate all the dodo eggs making them extinct. | 272 million years ago the atmosphere became polluted with hydrogen sulphide gas, causing all the dimetrodons to suffocate, making them extinct. |
Key Stage 4
Meaning
Extinction is when all of the members of a species have died.
About Extinction
Extinction can be caused by a number of factors:
- A sudden change in temperature.
- A loss of habitat
- A food source disappearing.
- An isolated community comes in contact with another.
- Pollution
- Hunting
Mass Extinctions
Since life began on Earth there have been 5 great mass extinctions: Ordovician–Silurian Extinction - 439 million years ago 86% of life on Earth was made extinct by the climate rapidly cooling. Devonian Extinction - 364 million years ago 75% of life on Earth was made extinct too many nutrients washed into the oceans causing eutrophication killing sea life. Permian–Triassic extinction - 251 million years ago 96% of life on Earth was made extinct when volcanic eruptions ignited coal deposits poisoning the atmosphere. Triassic–Jurassic extinction - Between 199 to 214 million years ago many species became extinct due to a number of events including climate change. This extinction led to the dominance of dinosaurs. Cretaceous–Paleogene extinction - 66 million years ago 76% of life on Earth was made extinct due to an asteroid impact on Earth. This extinction led to the end of dinosaurs and the dominance of mammals.