Natural Disasters in Earth's History

What caused the end-Permian extinction event?

During the end-Permian extinction event around 251 million years ago, up to 96% of marine species and 70% of terrestrial species went extinct. What were the main suspects behind this catastrophic event?

The Causes of the end-Permian Extinction Event

During the end-Permian extinction event that occurred about 251 million years ago, a significant number of marine and terrestrial species perished. The main suspects believed to be behind this catastrophic event were volcanic activity and global warming.

About 251 million years ago, during the end-Permian extinction, up to 96% of marine species and 70% of terrestrial species faced extinction. This event is considered the largest in the history of life on Earth and marked a drastic reduction in biodiversity.

The leading causes of this mass extinction are believed to be widespread volcanic activity that led to a runaway global-warming event and ocean anoxia, which suffocated marine life. The intense volcanic activity released massive amounts of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere, leading to a significant rise in global temperatures. This rapid climate change had detrimental effects on ecosystems, driving many species to extinction.

It is interesting to note that during the end-Permian extinction event, even the resilient trilobites, which had survived previous extinction events, were completely wiped out. The recovery of biodiversity following this catastrophic event took a considerable amount of time, with terrestrial tetrapod diversity requiring up to 30 million years to fully recover.

The end-Permian extinction event had a profound impact on Earth's biodiversity and the course of evolution. Major extinctions like this have played a significant role in shaping the diversity and evolution of life on our planet throughout history.