Asked by Bailee Yarbrough on May 16, 2024
Verified
The mass extinction at the end of the Cretaceous period was likely the result of:
A) rising seawater.
B) loss of vegetation.
C) extreme predation.
D) a dramatic change in climate.
E) the appearance of new competitors.
Mass Extinction
An event in which a significant, global decrease in the diversity and abundance of life occurs in a relatively short period of geological time.
Cretaceous Period
The geological time period between 145 and 66 million years ago, the last period of the Mesozoic Era, known for the extinction of dinosaurs and rise of flowering plants.
- Understand the geologic intervals associated with key evolutionary developments and extensive extinctions.
Verified Answer
ZT
Zackery TudorMay 23, 2024
Final Answer :
D
Explanation :
The mass extinction at the end of the Cretaceous period, which notably led to the demise of the dinosaurs, is widely attributed to a dramatic change in climate. This change was likely triggered by a massive asteroid impact (the Chicxulub impactor) and/or significant volcanic activity, leading to drastic environmental changes that many species could not survive.
Learning Objectives
- Understand the geologic intervals associated with key evolutionary developments and extensive extinctions.