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Mass Extinctions: Investigating the Devastating Events that Reshaped Life

Description: Mass Extinctions: Investigating the Devastating Events that Reshaped Life
Number of Questions: 15
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Tags: earth science paleontology biology geology
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Which mass extinction event is commonly referred to as the 'Great Dying'?

  1. Permian-Triassic

  2. Cretaceous-Paleogene

  3. Ordovician-Silurian

  4. Devonian-Carboniferous


Correct Option: A
Explanation:

The Permian-Triassic extinction event, also known as the 'Great Dying', was the most severe extinction event in Earth's history, resulting in the loss of approximately 96% of marine species and 70% of terrestrial vertebrate species.

What is the estimated number of species that went extinct during the Cretaceous-Paleogene extinction event?

  1. 65%

  2. 75%

  3. 85%

  4. 95%


Correct Option: B
Explanation:

The Cretaceous-Paleogene extinction event, commonly known as the Chicxulub impact, is estimated to have caused the extinction of approximately 75% of all plant and animal species on Earth, including the non-avian dinosaurs.

Which of the following is NOT a proposed cause of the Ordovician-Silurian extinction event?

  1. Asteroid impact

  2. Volcanic eruptions

  3. Sea-level changes

  4. Gamma-ray burst


Correct Option: D
Explanation:

While asteroid impact, volcanic eruptions, and sea-level changes are all potential causes of the Ordovician-Silurian extinction event, a gamma-ray burst is not a widely accepted hypothesis.

What was the primary cause of the Devonian-Carboniferous extinction event?

  1. Climate change

  2. Ocean acidification

  3. Habitat loss

  4. Disease


Correct Option: A
Explanation:

The Devonian-Carboniferous extinction event is believed to have been primarily caused by a combination of climate change and habitat loss, resulting in the extinction of approximately 70% of marine invertebrate species.

Which mass extinction event is associated with the emergence of mammals as the dominant land animals?

  1. Permian-Triassic

  2. Cretaceous-Paleogene

  3. Ordovician-Silurian

  4. Triassic-Jurassic


Correct Option: D
Explanation:

The Triassic-Jurassic extinction event, which occurred approximately 200 million years ago, marked the end of the dominance of dinosaurs and the rise of mammals as the dominant land animals.

What is the term used to describe the rapid evolution of new species following a mass extinction event?

  1. Adaptive radiation

  2. Convergent evolution

  3. Divergent evolution

  4. Punctuated equilibrium


Correct Option: A
Explanation:

Adaptive radiation is the process by which a group of organisms rapidly diversifies into a variety of new forms, each adapted to a specific ecological niche, following a mass extinction event.

Which mass extinction event is believed to have been caused by a massive volcanic eruption in Siberia?

  1. Permian-Triassic

  2. Cretaceous-Paleogene

  3. Ordovician-Silurian

  4. Triassic-Jurassic


Correct Option: A
Explanation:

The Permian-Triassic extinction event is associated with the Siberian Traps, a massive volcanic eruption that released large amounts of greenhouse gases and caused global warming.

What is the estimated duration of the Cretaceous-Paleogene extinction event?

  1. 1 day

  2. 1 week

  3. 1 month

  4. 1 year


Correct Option: A
Explanation:

The Cretaceous-Paleogene extinction event is believed to have occurred over a very short period of time, possibly as short as a single day, due to the impact of a large asteroid or comet.

Which mass extinction event is associated with the disappearance of the trilobites?

  1. Permian-Triassic

  2. Cretaceous-Paleogene

  3. Ordovician-Silurian

  4. Devonian-Carboniferous


Correct Option: C
Explanation:

The Ordovician-Silurian extinction event, which occurred approximately 444 million years ago, is associated with the disappearance of the trilobites, a group of marine arthropods that were common during the Paleozoic Era.

What is the name of the asteroid that is believed to have caused the Cretaceous-Paleogene extinction event?

  1. Chicxulub

  2. Yucatan

  3. Tunguska

  4. Barringer


Correct Option: A
Explanation:

The Chicxulub impactor is the name given to the asteroid or comet that is believed to have struck the Earth approximately 66 million years ago, causing the Cretaceous-Paleogene extinction event.

Which mass extinction event is associated with the rise of flowering plants?

  1. Permian-Triassic

  2. Cretaceous-Paleogene

  3. Ordovician-Silurian

  4. Triassic-Jurassic


Correct Option: D
Explanation:

The Triassic-Jurassic extinction event, which occurred approximately 200 million years ago, is associated with the rise of flowering plants, which became the dominant group of land plants.

What is the estimated number of species that went extinct during the Permian-Triassic extinction event?

  1. 90%

  2. 95%

  3. 99%

  4. 100%


Correct Option: B
Explanation:

The Permian-Triassic extinction event, also known as the 'Great Dying', is estimated to have caused the extinction of approximately 95% of all marine species and 70% of terrestrial vertebrate species.

Which mass extinction event is associated with the disappearance of the dinosaurs?

  1. Permian-Triassic

  2. Cretaceous-Paleogene

  3. Ordovician-Silurian

  4. Devonian-Carboniferous


Correct Option: B
Explanation:

The Cretaceous-Paleogene extinction event, commonly known as the Chicxulub impact, is associated with the disappearance of the dinosaurs, except for the ancestors of modern birds.

What is the term used to describe the process by which species adapt to new environmental conditions following a mass extinction event?

  1. Natural selection

  2. Evolution

  3. Adaptation

  4. Survival of the fittest


Correct Option: A
Explanation:

Natural selection is the process by which species adapt to new environmental conditions following a mass extinction event, resulting in the survival of those individuals with traits that are better suited to the changed environment.

Which mass extinction event is associated with the rise of reptiles as the dominant land animals?

  1. Permian-Triassic

  2. Cretaceous-Paleogene

  3. Ordovician-Silurian

  4. Triassic-Jurassic


Correct Option: A
Explanation:

The Permian-Triassic extinction event, which occurred approximately 252 million years ago, is associated with the rise of reptiles as the dominant land animals, replacing the amphibians that were dominant during the Carboniferous Period.

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