Miocene epoch

Development of fauna

One of the epochs belonging to the period Neogene it was already Cenozoic was Miocene. During this period of time, a large number of events took place at both the geological, climatic and biological levels. Large fluctuations in temperature were experienced, starting with drops and then slowly ascending. This rise in temperatures led to the development of numerous species of animals and plants.

In this article we are going to tell you all the characteristics, geology, climate, flora and fauna of the Miocene.

Key features

Miocene period

This epoch began approximately 23 million years ago and ended approximately 5 million years ago. Changes were experienced at the orogenic level in which growths of various mountain ranges. Thanks to the numerous fossil records, it has been possible to see that it was a stage with great growth at the biological level where there were large varieties of mammals. This group was the one that experienced the greatest development and diversification on a global scale.

Miocene Geology

During the Miocene epoch an intense geological activity could be observed since there was a great movement on the part of the continents that continued their displacement from the continental drift. In this way, it was almost already occupying the place that it has today. There are many specialists who claim that, by then, the planet already had almost the same configuration that it has today.

One of the most important geological events was the collision of the north of the African continent with the Arabian peninsula. This momentous event was so important as it resulted in the closure of one of the seas must have existed until this time. The sea was the Paratetis.

During this time the movement of India had never ceased. He left a holding and pressing against the Asian region. This caused the mountains of the Himalayas was growing more and more the height and forming higher peaks. In the geography of the Mediterranean there is a great orogenic activity and this time is where the better known mountains were raised today.

Miocene climate

Miocene animals

As we mentioned at the beginning of the article, the climate of this time was mainly characterized by low temperatures. This can only at the beginning and as a consequence of the expansion of the expansion of ice at both poles. This expansion of ice was caused from the previous time known as the Eocene. Some environments had to acquire some arid conditions as they were not able to retain moisture. Remember that humidity is key to the development of microorganisms and plants.

This time with such low temperatures did not last long. More or less in the middle of the Miocene it is when the global temperature began to increase considerably. This fact of increasing temperatures is known as Optimal climate of the Miocene. During this period of time the ambient temperatures gradually increased to 5 degrees above current temperatures. This means that the planet has already experienced greater temperature increases than it has today. However, the time frame for this increase was much slower, giving species more time to adapt.

The global climate change that we are currently experiencing is increasing on a human scale. This makes living beings unable to adapt to new conditions. Thanks to the increase in temperatures on the planet, a more temperate climate could develop.

By developing mountain ranges with great importance and height, it made precipitation will greatly decrease. As the Miocene progressed, the entire planet turned to a drier climate. For this reason, all the forest extensions were reduced and the deserts and tundras were extended.

Flora

Much of all the species of animals and plants that were in the Miocene are found today. It can be observed throughout this period of time that existed a significant decline in both forests and jungles due to the increases in temperature and extension of aridity mentioned above. Since the rainfall was lower and lower the plants also had to adapt to these changes.

During the Miocene epoch they began to dominate herbaceous plants and others of small size that are more resistant to long periods of drought. One of these species is the chaparral. During this time, angiosperms also flourished, which are plants that already have covered seeds.

Fauna

Miocene Fauna

Mammals were the most predominant group of animals during the Miocene epoch. They can diversify to a great extent thanks to climatic changes. The closure of the Paratetis sea was also involved. All kinds of mammals will develop, from the smallest group of rodents to large mammals like some marine ones.

Birds also underwent great magnification during this time. The land mammals that dominated the time were the following:

  • gomphotherium (Extinct)
  • Amphicyon (Extinct)
  • merychippus (Extinct)
  • astrapotherium (Extinct)
  • megapedetese (Extinct)

Of the aquatic mammals we can also see that they were largely diversified and the ancestors of the current whales had their origin. Among those that grew and developed the most were those that belonged to the group of cetaceans, especially the odontocetes. These were toothed animals that reached lengths of up to 14 meters. Their diet was fully carnivorous and they fed on other fish, squid and even cetaceans of the same group.

We must not forget the reptiles. We also found a range of reptiles that developed quite well. The fossils have only been found in the northern part of South America. The freshwater turtle is the largest so far. The fossil shows us a tortoise that could be approximately two meters long. It was on a carnivorous diet and its prey were amphibians and fish.

As you can see, this time was quite good for the development of all life on the planet. I hope that with this information you can learn more about the Miocene epoch.


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