What was life like during the Cambrian period?
This period lasted about 53 million years and marked a dramatic burst of evolutionary changes in life on Earth, known as the “Cambrian Explosion.” Among the animals that evolved during this period were the chordates — animals with a dorsal nerve cord; hard-bodied brachiopods, which resembled clams; and arthropods — …
What happened in the late Cambrian period?
The Cambrian world was bracketed between two ice ages, one during the late Proterozoic and the other during the Ordovician. During these ice ages, the decrease in global temperature led to mass extinctions. Cooler conditions eliminated many warm water species, and glaciation lowered global sea level.
What is the time limits of Cambrian Period?
Cambrian Period, earliest time division of the Paleozoic Era, extending from 541 million to 485.4 million years ago.
What makes the Cambrian period so unique?
The Cambrian period, part of the Paleozoic era, produced the most intense burst of evolution ever known. The Cambrian Explosion saw an incredible diversity of life emerge, including many major animal groups alive today. Among them were the chordates, to which vertebrates (animals with backbones) such as humans belong.
Why did the Cambrian end?
Just as the first complex animals were settling into Earth’s oceans, oxygen levels fell dramatically and wiped many of them out. The finding shows that the birth of complex life was beset with dangers.
What is the best index fossil for the Cambrian Period of the Paleozoic Era?
The Cambrian Period marks an important point in the history of life on Earth; it is the time when many kinds of invertebrates and the first vertebrates—fishes—appeared in the fossil record. The Burgess Shale contains the best record of Cambrian animal fossils including soft-bodied forms.
What started the Cambrian explosion?
541 (+/- 1) million years ago
Cambrian/Began
Were there any extinctions during the Cambrian period?
There were many small-scale, sporadic extinction events during the Cambrian Period. A large-scale mass extinction event occurred approximately 500 million years ago. Scientists believe was caused by a significant decrease in global temperature.