Diversification and extinction in the history of life.
@article{Benton1995DiversificationAE, title={Diversification and extinction in the history of life.}, author={M. Benton}, journal={Science}, year={1995}, volume={268 5207}, pages={ 52-8 } }
Analysis of the fossil record of microbes, algae, fungi, protists, plants, and animals shows that the diversity of both marine and continental life increased exponentially since the end of the Precambrian. This diversification was interrupted by mass extinctions, the largest of which occurred in the Early Cambrian, Late Ordovician, Late Devonian, Late Permian, Early Triassic, Late Triassic, and end-Cretaceous. Most of these extinctions were experienced by both marine and continental organisms… CONTINUE READING
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