Describe the Concept
Mass extinctions are biological crises that develop more or less rapidly, in which both the diversity and abundance of organisms are drastically reduced. Numerous mass extinction events have been identified throughout the history of life on Earth, but five in the last 500 million years appear to have been particularly severe. The possible causes of a mass extinction can be divided into endogenous and exogenous. The impact of large asteroids or the increase in the flux of cosmic rays belong to the latter category.
Concept Location
This new term should be categorized under "Astrobiology (74)".
Supporting Information
For the 5 largest mass extinctions:
Raup, D. M., & Sepkoski Jr, J. J. (1982). Mass extinctions in the marine fossil record. Science, 215(4539), 1501-1503.
doi: 10.1126/science.215.4539.1501
For classification of the possible causes:
Bailer-Jones, C. A. (2009). The evidence for and against astronomical impacts on climate change and mass extinctions: a review. International Journal of Astrobiology, 8(3), 213-219.
Additional Comments
No response
Code of Conduct
Describe the Concept
Mass extinctions are biological crises that develop more or less rapidly, in which both the diversity and abundance of organisms are drastically reduced. Numerous mass extinction events have been identified throughout the history of life on Earth, but five in the last 500 million years appear to have been particularly severe. The possible causes of a mass extinction can be divided into endogenous and exogenous. The impact of large asteroids or the increase in the flux of cosmic rays belong to the latter category.
Concept Location
This new term should be categorized under "Astrobiology (74)".
Supporting Information
For the 5 largest mass extinctions:
Raup, D. M., & Sepkoski Jr, J. J. (1982). Mass extinctions in the marine fossil record. Science, 215(4539), 1501-1503.
doi: 10.1126/science.215.4539.1501
For classification of the possible causes:
Bailer-Jones, C. A. (2009). The evidence for and against astronomical impacts on climate change and mass extinctions: a review. International Journal of Astrobiology, 8(3), 213-219.
Additional Comments
No response
Code of Conduct