General

EARTH
Biology 2

GEOLOGIC
TIME
SCALE
 Learning objectives:
At the end of this module, the learners should be
able to:
1. Identify the different geologic time scale.
2. Describe general features of the history of life
on Earth, including generally accepted dates and
sequence of the geologic time scale
3. Describe the characteristics of major groups
of organisms present during each time periods.
 What is
the age of
the
Earth?
 How old is the Earth?
- The Earth is 4.6 billion years
old.
- Life on Earth arose around
3.5 billion years old
- Over Earth’s vast history,
both gradual and catastrophic
processes have produced
enormous changes.
 What was
the Earth
like million
of years
ago?
When did
man first
appear on
Earth?
 MACROEVOLUTION
- The evolution of whole
taxonomic groups over
long periods of time.

- “Major Evolutionary
Change”

- This includes the creation

of biological diversity
through speciation but
also encompasses
different evidences of life
from the different geologic
time scales.
 GEOLOGIC TIME
- SCALE
The Geological time scale is
a record of the life forms and
geological events in Earth’s
history.
- Scientists developed the time
scale by studying rock layers
and fossils world wide.
- Radioactive dating helped
determine the absolute
divisions in the time scale.
MISCONCEPTION
S:
•

•
Humans and dinosaurs existed on the
Earth at the same time.
Plant and animals on Earth have always
existed.
• The Earth is too big to change.
Prese
TERM 4.6 billion
years ago nt
S:
• EON – largest division of the geologic time scale;
spans hundreds to thousands of million of years
ago.
• ERA – division in an Era that span time periods of
tens to tens to hundreds of million of years.
• PERIOD – a division of geologic history that spans
no more than one hundred million years.
• EPOCH – the smallest division of the geologic
time scale characterized by distinctive organisms.
GTS
A. Four Eras –
Precambrian,
Paleozoic, Mesozoic
and Cenozoic

B. Periods under the

Paleozoic- Cambrian,
Ordovician, Silurian,
Devonian,
Carboniferous,
Permian

-
-
GTS
C. Periods under the
Mesozoic era –
Triassic, Jurassic,
Cretaceous
D. Periods under the
Cenozoic era –
Tertiary and
Quaternary

-
GTS
C. Periods under the
Mesozoic era –
Triassic, Jurassic,
Cretaceous
D. Periods under the
Cenozoic era –
Tertiary and
Quaternary

-
 0
1
PRECAMBRI
AN EONS
PRECAMBRIAN
EONS 88% of Earth’s
-More ancient Eon – it covers
approximately
History.
-“Origin of Earth” – it is the point
at which Earth began to form
-This time division is also called
Cryptozoic Era sometimes called
the eon of “hidden life” due to lack The Precambrian
of records showing life. Eon is divided from
most ancient into
-Erosion has destroyed most of the
the Hadean Era,
rocks and fossils. Any fossils that Archean Era, and
survived are rare and simple in Proterozoic Era
  HADEAN
3.8 billion ERA
o 4.6 billion years ago
to roughly
years ago
o From “Haedes”, Greek
god of the underworld
o “Hell-like” Chaotic time
because of several
meteorite bombardment
o Lots of volcanic activity
and eruptions/; existence
of protocontinents
  ARCHEAN
ERA
o 3.8-2.5 billion years ago
o The planet begun to cool and water vapor
condenses to form rain.
o The atmosphere is made up of methane gas,
carbon dioxide, sulfur dioxide but no free
oxygen gas.
o Stromatolites existed and other bacterial
cells.
o Life forms is limited to single celled
organisms.
  ARCHEAN
ERA
o .

Stromatolites are
layered
sedimentary
formations that
are created by
photosynthetic
cyanobacteria.
  PROTEROZOI
C ERA
o 2.5 billion years ago to 542 million years
ago
o An eon that spans for three eras; namely
Paleoproterozoic, Mesoproterozoic and
Neoproterozoic.
o Massive and rapid continental accretion.
o Atmosphere enriches with oxygen due to
bacteria.
o Herbivorous eukaryotes (algae)
o Extensive glaciations during “snowball
earth”
o Rise of multicellular organisms represented
by the Vendian faun.
o Formation of the protective ozone layer.
 PRECAMBRIAN
●EONS
In the latter part of the
Precambrian eons,
single-celled and simple
multicellular organisms
first developed.
● There are many fossils
from this time because
the sea-dwelling
creatures were trapped
in sediments and
preserved.
 0
2
PHANEROZ
OIC EONS
PHANEROZOIC
EONS
- The most recent eon
- Eon or “ Visible life”
- Greatest diversity of land and
ocean organisms.
- Fossil record indicates complex
organisms thrive.
- We are still currently living in
the Phanerozoic.
The Phanerozoic eon is
subdivided into three eras – the
Paleozoic Era, Mesozoic Era, and
Cenozoic Era.
  PALEOZOIC
ERA
ocalled “Age of the Ancient
life”
oAmong the three eras of the
Phanerozoic eon, the
Paleozoic era is the longest
and diverse, it takes almost
half of the Phanerozoic eons.
oIt started 300 million years
ago.
o3 distinct “ages”
- Age of invertebrates
- Age of fishes (vertebrates)
- Age of Amphibians
The Paleozoic era is divided into 6
major periods.
CAMBRI ORDOVICI SILURIA
AN AN N

DEVONIA CARBONIFER PERMIA

N OUS N
  PALEOZOIC
CAMBRIAN
PERIOD
ERA
o550-500 million years ago
oFollowing the Precambrian mass extinction there
was an explosion of new organisms in the
Cambrian period.
oVariety of marine organisms came into existence
oSponges, snails, clams and worms evolve by
having the ability to form shells through the
secretion of calcium carbonate and calcium
phosphate.
o“Age of Invertebrates” were the trilobites
were very abundant.
  PALEOZOIC
ORDOVICIAN ERA
PERIOD
o500-450 million years ago
oThe oceans are filled with
invertebrate animals
oPlants dominate the land while most
of the animals remained in the water
oThe first fish evolved
oMarks the earliest appearance of the
jawless fish known as the AGNATHA.
  PALEOZOIC
SILURIAN
PERIOD ERA
o450-400 million years ago
oIn the ocean corals appear and fish
continuous to evolved
oOn land vascular plants evolve and they grow
bigger than the existing non-vascular plants.
They developed specialized tissues use by the
plants to distribute water and other materials.
oThis period brought about the emergence of
terrestrial life.
oSome of the common organisms during this
period are the air-breathing scorpions and
millipedes.
  PALEOZOIC
DEVONIAN
PERIOD
ERA
o400-350 million years ago
oThis period is known as the “age of
fishes”.
oThe first seed plant evolved. Seed plants
have a protective seed coat and stored food
in their cotyledon to survive. Eventually,
plants that bears seeds become the most
common type of plants in land.
oFish with lobe fins evolved. They could
breath-in air out from water.
oCartilaginous fish such as sharks and rays
were common by the late Devonian.
  PALEOZOIC
CARBONIFEROUS ERA
PERIOD
o350-300 million years ago
oWidespread forest of large plants left
massive deposits of carbon that eventually
turned into coal and crude oil.
oFirst amphibian evolve and lived in water
and land.
oFirst reptile evolved. They were the first
animals that can reproduce on dry land.
oThe climate during this period was
described to be tropical and humid.
  PALEOZOIC
PERMIAN ERA
PERIOD
o300-250 million years
ago and was the last
period of Paleozoic Era
oAll the major land
masses collided to form
the supercontinent
“Pangea”
oTemperatures were
extreme and the climate
was dry.
  PALEOZOIC
PERMIAN ERA
PERIOD
o“Greatest Mass Extinction of All Time”
"
oThe largest extinction in Earth’s history-far more
devastating than the more famous Cretaceous
extinction when dinosaurs disappeared- marks the end
of the Permian
  MESOZOIC
ERA
o “Middle Life” Era
o Rise of dinosaurs
o The period, which spans from about 252
million years ago to about 66 million years
ago, was also known as the age of reptiles
or the age of dinosaurs.
o Life diversified rapidly and giant reptiles,
dinosaurs and other monstrous beasts
roamed the Earth.
o This period also marks the rapid spread of
true pines and redwoods.
o The appearance of flowering plants during
this period hastens the evolution of insects.
 It is divided into three major
periods namely;

JURASS TRIASSI CRETACEO

IC C US
  MESOZOIC
JURASSIC
PERIOD ERA
oThis period also marks the rapid spread of
true pines and redwoods. The appearance of
flowering plants during this period hastens the
evolution of insects.
o200-150 million years ago
oThis is the golden age of the dinosaurs,
whereas the dinosaurs’ species flourish.
oThe earliest bird evolved form reptile
ancestors.
oMajor group of mammals evolved while
individual mammals remains small in size.
oFlowering plants appear and new insects
evolved to pollinate the flowers.
  MESOZOIC
TRIASSIC
PERIOD
ERA
o250-200 million years ago
oThe first dinosaurs branched off
from the reptiles and they colonized
the land, water, and air.
oHuge seed ferns and conifers
dominated the forest.
oModern corals, fish, and insects
evolved.
oPangea started to separate into
Laurasia.
  MESOZOIC
CRETACEOUS
PERIOD
o150-65 million years ago
ERA
oDinosaurs reach their peak
and distributions.
oThe continent was close to
the current position as they
are right now. Earth’s climate
is warm and poles lacked ice
caps.
oExtinction of dinosaurs.
  CENOZOIC
o “Rise of mammals”
o “Age of recent life”
ERA
o Also sometimes called the “age of
flowering plants” because
angiosperms replaced gymnosperms as
the dominant land plants.
o Represents more than 2% of Earth’s
history
o We are now at Halocene
o Has the fossils of the organisms which
were able to survive and adapt after the
Cretaceous–Tertiary extinction (K/T
Extinction)
Two periods of the
Cenozoic Era:

QUARTERN TERTIAR
ARY Y
PERIOD PERIOD
  CENOZOIC
QUARTERNARY ERA
PERIOD
QUARTERNAR 2 million
Y PERIOD years ago –
present
Halocene 0.01 million
(present) years ago -
present
Pleistocene 2 – 0.01
million years
ago
  CENOZOIC
QUARTERNARY ERA
o
age
PERIOD
Climate is cooled leading to a series of ice

o Sea water level lowered resulting to the

formation of land bridges between
continents that enabled land animal
migration.
o Some mammals, like the woolly
mammoths adapted to the cold by
evolving very large size and thick fur.
Other animals moved closer to the
equator or went extinct, along with many
plants.
o Homo sapiens evolved
o First primates appear and flowering plants
become the most common
  CENOZOIC
TERTIARY
PERIOD
ERA
TERTIARY PERIOD 65 – 0.01 million years
ago
Pliocene 5 - 2 million years ago

Miocene 25 – 5 million years

ago
Oligocene 35 – 25 million years
ago
Eocene 55 – 35 million years
ago
Paleocene 65 – 55 million years
ago
  CENOZOIC
TERTIARY ERA
PERIOD
o Climate is warm and humid

o Mammals evolved to fill virtually

all niches vacated by dinosaurs.
Many mammals increased in
size.
o Mammals called primates
evolved, including human
ancestors.
o Modern rain forests and
grasslands appeared, and
flowering plants and insects
were numerous and
QUIZ
Choose the correct answer.
1.) It is known as
the Age of the
Dinosaurs because
of its famous
inhabitants.
A. Cenozoic Era
B. Phanerozoic
Eons
C. The Paleozoic
Era
1.) It is known as
the Age of the
Dinosaurs because
of its famous
inhabitants.
ANSWER
:D
2.) The Phanerozoic
Eon is subdivided into
_____ eras.
A. Four (4)
B. Three
(3)
C. Six (6)
D. Two (2)
2.) The Phanerozoic
Eon is subdivided into
_____ eras.
ANSWE
R: B
3.) Put the units of
time in order from
LONGEST to
SHORTEST
___________.
A. Period, Epoch,
Era
B. Era, Period,
Epoch
C. Period, Era,
Epoch
3.) Put the units of
time in order from
LONGEST to
SHORTEST
___________.
ANSWE
R: B
4.) A division of geologic
time; a subdivision of a
period. Shortest length of
time is called ________.

A. Geologic Time
Scale
B. Era
C. Period
D. Epoch
4.) A division of geologic
time; a subdivision of a
period. Shortest length of
time is called ________.

ANSWE
R: D
5.) In this era, the
atmosphere is made up
of methane gas, carbon
dioxide, sulfur dioxide
but no free oxygen gas.
A. Hadean Era
B. Cenozoic Era
C. Archean Era
D. Proterozoic Era
5.) In this era, the
atmosphere is made up
of methane gas, carbon
dioxide, sulfur dioxide
but no free oxygen gas.

ANSWER
:C
6.) During these period,
Earth’s climate was generally
warm and humid. Mammals
evolved to fill virtually all
niches vacated by dinosaurs.
And many mammals
increased in size.
A. Tertiary period

B. Devonian
period
C. Quaternary
6.) During these period,
Earth’s climate was generally
warm and humid. Mammals
evolved to fill virtually all
niches vacated by dinosaurs.
And many mammals
increased in size.

ANSWER
:A
7.) This is the golden
age of the dinosaurs,
whereas the
dinosaurs’ species
flourish.
A. Cretaceous
period
B. Triassic period
C. Cambrian
period
7.) This is the golden
age of the dinosaurs,
whereas the
dinosaurs’ species
flourish.

ANSWE
R: D
8.) The first fish evolved
in _______.
A. Quaternary period
B. Permian period
C. Ordovician period
D. Carboniferous
period
8.) The first fish evolved
in _______.

ANSWER: C
9.) The approximate
age of the Earth
is________.
A. 4.5 million
years old
B. 4.5 billion years
old
C. 13.6 billion
years old D.
9.) The approximate
age of the Earth
is________.

ANSWE
R: B
10.) The first time span
in geologic time was
the ________.

A. Precambrian
era
B. Mesozoic era
C. Cenozoic era
D. Paleozoic era
10.) The first time span
in geologic time was
the ________.

ANSWER
:A
“The battles that count aren't the ones for gold
medals. The struggles within yourself — the
invisible, inevitable battles inside all of us —
that's where it's at.”
—Jesse Owens
 Thank
you for
listening
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