Q25-11TYU - Campbell Biology

Question

In 2010, the Soufriere Hills volcano on the Caribbean island of Montserrat erupted violently, spewing huge clouds of ash and gases into the sky. Explain how the volcanic eruptions at the end of the Permian period and the formation of Pangaea, both of which occurred about 252 million years ago, set in motion events that altered evolutionary history.

Step-by-Step Solution

Answer

The end of the Permian period experienced several huge volcanic eruptions. During this period, the supercontinent Pangea experienced severe climate challenges, which severely affected marine lives. 

Hence, evolutionary biologists believe that the Pangea integration was one of the main reasons for the volcanic eruption and an enormous biodiversity loss of all times. 

The increase in temperature occurred due to frequent volcanic eruptions getting incorporated in the water, making the marine environment toxic and inhabitable for aquatic organisms.

Step 1: Pangea

There was a supercontinent called Pangea before the occurrence of different separated continents, as we see today. Pangea was formed more than 250 million years ago. As speculated, the formation of Pangea is due to the continuous formation and movement of landmass.

Step 2: Pangea and the end of the Permian period

During the Permian period, subcontinents fused to form a vast single supercontinent called Pangea. Due to the fusion of Pangea and several other continents, there were severe fluctuations in the climatic conditions. 

The event caused environmental deterioration, which specifically affected marine organisms. Frequent volcanic eruptions in Pangea caused the release of carbon dioxide and greenhouse gases emissions, causing global warming. 

These events made inadaptable situations leading to the almost complete extinction of marine life. The volcanic eruption wiped off a significant portion of land animals towards the end of the Permian period.

Step 3: After Permian extinction

The Triassic period came after the end of the Permian period. The dinosaurs dominated this period. The ecosystem re-established slowly after the Permian extinction. The Permian extinction changed the entire history of evolution and completely erased thousands of species.