Life on Earth originated over 3.5 billion years ago, immediately after the completion of the formation of the earth's crust. Throughout time, the emergence and development of living organisms influenced the formation of relief and climate. Also, tectonic and climatic changes that have taken place over the years have influenced the development of life on Earth.
The table of the development of life on Earth can be compiled based on the chronology of events. The entire history of the Earth can be divided into certain stages. The largest of them are the eras of life. They are divided into eras, eras - into periods, periods - into eras, eras - into centuries.
Eras of life on Earth
The entire period of existence of life on Earth can be divided into 2 periods: Precambrian, or Cryptozoic (primary period, 3.6 to 0.6 billion years), and Phanerozoic.
Cryptozoic includes Archean (ancient life) and Proterozoic (primary life) eras.
Phanerozoic includes the Paleozoic (ancient life), Mesozoic (middle life) and Cenozoic (new life) eras.
These 2 periods of life development are usually divided into smaller ones - eras. The boundaries between eras are global evolutionary events, extinctions. In turn, the eras are dividedfor periods, periods for epochs. The history of the development of life on Earth is directly related to changes in the earth's crust and the planet's climate.
Eras of development, countdown
The most significant events are usually allocated in special time intervals - eras. Time is counted backwards, from ancient life to the new. There are 5 eras:
- Archaean.
- Proterozoic.
- Paleozoic.
- Mesozoic.
- Cenozoic.
Periods of development of life on Earth
Paleozoic, Mesozoic and Cenozoic eras include periods of development. These are smaller periods of time compared to eras.
Paleozoic Era:
- Cambrian (Cambrian).
- Ordovician.
- Silurian (Silur).
- Devonian (Devonian).
- Coal (carbon).
- Permian (Perm).
Mesozoic Era:
- Triassic (Triassic).
- Jurassic (Jurassic).
- Chalky (chalk).
Cenozoic Era:
- Lower Tertiary (Paleogene).
- Upper Tertiary (Neogene).
- Quaternary or Anthropogen (human development).
The first 2 periods are included in the Tertiary period lasting 59 million years.
| Era, period | Duration | Wildlife | Inanimate nature, climate |
| Archaean era (ancient life) | 3.5 billion years | The appearance of blue-green algae, photosynthesis. Heterotrophs | The predominance of land over the ocean, the minimum amount of oxygen in the atmosphere. |
| Proterozoic era (early life) | 2, 7 billion years | Appearance of worms, molluscs, first chordates, soil formation. | Land is a stone desert. Accumulation of oxygen in the atmosphere. |
| The Paleozoic era includes 6 periods: | |||
| 1. Cambrian (Cambrian) | 535-490 Ma | Development of living organisms. | Hot climate. The dry land is deserted. |
| 2. Ordovician | 490-443 Ma | The appearance of vertebrates. | Flooding almost all platforms. |
| 3. Silurian (Silur) | 443-418 Ma | Exit of plants to land. Development of corals, trilobites. | Movement of the earth's crust with the formation of mountains. The seas prevail over the land. The climate is varied. |
| 4. Devonian (Devonian) | 418-360 Ma | The appearance of mushrooms, lobe-finned fish. | Formation of intermontane depressions. Predominance of dry climate. |
| 5. Carboniferous (carbon) | 360-295 Ma | The appearance of the first amphibians. | Sinking of the continents with the flooding of territories and the emergence of swamps. There is a lot of oxygen and carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. |
|
6. Perm (Perm) |
295-251 Ma | The extinction of trilobites and most amphibians. The beginning of the development of reptiles and insects. | Volcanic activity. Hot climate. |
| The Mesozoic era includes 3 periods: | |||
| 1. Triassic (Triassic) | 251-200 Ma | Development of gymnosperms. The first mammals and bony fish. | Volcanic activity. Warm and sharply continental climate. |
| 2. Jurassic (Jurassic) | 200-145 Ma | The emergence of angiosperms. The spread of reptiles, the appearance of the first bird. | Mild and warm climate. |
| 3. Chalk (chalk) | 145-60 Ma | Appearance of birds, higher mammals. | Warm climate followed by cooling. |
| The Cenozoic era includes 3 periods: | |||
| 1. Lower Tertiary (Paleogene) | 65-23 Ma | Flourishing angiosperms. Development of insects, appearance of lemurs and primates. | Mild climate with climatic zones. |
|
2. Upper Tertiary (Neogene) |
23-1, 8 Ma | The appearance of ancient people. | Dry climate. |
| 3. Quaternary or anthropogen (human development) | 1, 8-0 Ma | The appearance of man. | Cooling. |
Development of living organisms
The table of the development of life on Earth suggests the division not only into time intervals, but also into certain stages of the formation of living organisms, possible climatic changes (ice age, global warming).
Archaean era. The most significant changes in the evolution of living organisms are the appearanceblue-green algae - prokaryotes capable of reproduction and photosynthesis, the emergence of multicellular organisms. The appearance of living protein substances (heterotrophs) capable of absorbing organic substances dissolved in water. Later, the appearance of these living organisms made it possible to divide the world into flora and fauna
- Proterozoic era. The appearance of unicellular algae, annelids, mollusks, marine intestinal worms. The appearance of the first chordates (lancelet). Soil formation occurs around water bodies.
- Paleozoic era.
- Cambrian period. Development of algae, marine invertebrates, mollusks.
- Ordovician period. Trilobites changed their shells to calcareous ones. Cephalopods with a straight or slightly curved shell are common. The first vertebrates were fish-like jawless animals thelodonts. Living organisms are concentrated in water.
- Silurian period. Development of corals, trilobites. The first vertebrates appear. Exit of plants to land (psilophytes).
- Devonian period. The appearance of the first fish, stegocephalians. The appearance of mushrooms Development and extinction of psilophytes. Development on land of higher spores.
- Carboniferous and Permian periods. The ancient land is full of reptiles, animal-like reptiles arise. Trilobites are dying out. Extinction of forests of the Carboniferous period. Development of gymnosperms, ferns.
Mesozoic era
- Triassic period. Distribution of plants (gymnosperms). An increase in the number of reptiles. The first mammals, bony fish.
- Jurassic period. The predominance of gymnosperms, the emergence of angiosperms. The appearance of the first bird, the flowering of cephalopods.
- Cretaceous period. Spread of angiosperms, reduction of other plant species. The development of bony fish, mammals and birds.
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Cenozoic era.
- Lower Tertiary period (Paleogene). The flowering of angiosperms. The development of insects and mammals, the appearance of lemurs, later primates.
- Upper Tertiary period (Neogene). The development of modern plants. The appearance of human ancestors.
- Quaternary period (anthropogen). Formation of modern plants, animals. The appearance of man.
Development of conditions of inanimate nature, climate change
The table of the development of life on Earth cannot be presented without data on changes in inanimate nature. The emergence and development of life on Earth, new species of plants and animals, all this is accompanied by changes in inanimate nature, climate.
Climate change: Archean era
The history of the development of life on Earth began through the stage of the predominance of land over water resources. The relief was poorly outlined. The atmosphere is dominated by carbon dioxide, the amount of oxygen is minimal. Salinity is low in shallow water.
The Archean era is characterized by volcanic eruptions, lightning, black clouds. Rocksrich in graphite.
Climate changes in the Proterozoic era
Land is a stone desert, all living organisms live in water. Oxygen accumulates in the atmosphere.
Climate change: Paleozoic era
The following climate changes occurred during different periods of the Paleozoic era:
- Cambrian period. The land is still deserted. The climate is hot.
- Ordovician period. The most significant change is the flooding of almost all northern platforms.
- Silurian period. Tectonic changes, the conditions of inanimate nature are diverse. Mountain building occurs, the seas prevail over the land. Areas of different climates have been identified, including areas of cooling.
- Devonian period. Dry climate prevails, continental. Formation of intermountain depressions.
- Carboniferous period. The sinking of the continents, wetlands. Warm and humid climate, with a lot of oxygen and carbon dioxide in the atmosphere.
- Permian period. Hot climate, volcanic activity, mountain building, drying up swamps.
In the Paleozoic era, the mountains of the Caledonian folding formed. Such changes in the relief affected the world's oceans - the sea basins were reduced, a significant land area was formed.
The Paleozoic era marked the beginning of almost all major oil and coal deposits.
Mesozoic climate change
The climate of different periods of the Mesozoic is characterized by the following features:
- Triassic period. Volcanic activity, the climate is sharply continental, warm.
- Jurassic period. Mild and warm climate. The seas prevail over the land.
- Cretaceous period. Retreat of the seas from the land. The climate is warm, but at the end of the period, global warming is replaced by cooling.
In the Mesozoic era, the previously formed mountain systems are destroyed, the plains go under water (Western Siberia). In the second half of the era, the Cordillera, the mountains of Eastern Siberia, Indochina, and partly Tibet were formed, the mountains of the Mesozoic folding were formed. A hot and humid climate prevails, favoring the formation of swamps and peat bogs.
Climate change - Cenozoic era
In the Cenozoic era there was a general uplift of the Earth's surface. The climate has changed. Numerous glaciations of the earth covers advancing from the north have changed the appearance of the continents of the Northern Hemisphere. Due to such changes, rolling plains were formed.
- Lower Tertiary period. Mild climate. Division into 3 climatic zones. Formation of continents.
- Upper Tertiary period. Dry climate. The emergence of steppes, savannas.
- Quaternary period. Multiple glaciation of the northern hemisphere. Climate cooling.
All changes during the development of life on Earth can be written down in the form of a table that will reflect the most significant stages in the formation and development of the modern world. Despite the already known methods of research, and now scientists continue to study history,make new discoveries that allow modern society to learn how life developed on Earth before the appearance of man.
