Quaternary fauna

Quaternary fauna

El quaternary period is the last one that corresponds to the Cenozoic era. It is the period that continues today and that began approximately 2.5 million years ago and that encompasses the development of the human being. The Quaternary fauna has been studied in a very detailed way since it is easier to obtain information being this more recent.

In this article we are going to tell you everything you need to know about the fauna of the Quaternary.

Quaternary period

This is a period with quite interesting geological activity. It is active as in previous periods, although it seems to have slowed down enormously. The movement of the continents is getting slower, like other orogenic processes. Orogenic processes are caused by plate tectonic collisions. However, from what is seen in the different studies, throughout the quaternary there is less orogenic activity a.

Most species of plants and animals belonging to the fauna of the Quaternary that has developed enormously. A significant increase in the extinction of species has also been observed. Due to changes in climate and the emergence of humans, thousands of species have become extinct and we are approaching the sixth extinction worldwide.

In summary, it can be said that it is a calm period from the geological point of view. A decrease in environmental temperatures has predominated, causing several glaciations. However, we now live in an interglacial period that we know as Holocene.

Quaternary human and fauna

The development of the human being is something more remarkable in the fauna of the Quaternary. It is here that the first ancestors of modern man have appeared. The first part of the evolution of the human being was Australopithecus and the current evolution is Homo sapiens. Not only human logic development has been studied, but also their social skills.

The Quaternary has been noted for having a large amount of species extinction. This extinction is occurring in a systematic way after the appearance of the human being. The so-called megafauna that existed at the end of the Pleistocene is disappearing at an accelerating rate. Specialists consider that human activity is the main cause of extinction. This is because the human being uses the fauna to obtain benefits such as food, clothing, tool making, among others.

There are many scientists who have been alarmed because they have studied the speed at which this extinction is taking place and it is the greatest in all history. At the rate at which species are becoming extinct, they do not have time to adapt to new environmental conditions. In addition, this list of endangered species is expanding more and more.

Flora and development

The flora experienced great diversification both at the level of aquatic and terrestrial plants. Biodiversity in general has depended on the climate to a great extent and, thanks to this, animals have developed certain characteristics to be able to adapt to certain ecosystems.

The fossil records show that there are a large number of thermophilic plants that have been able to adapt to extreme temperature conditions. Some of them are those that adapt to very cold temperatures. The quaternary period has caused the appearance of different biomes with their own climatic characteristics. This largely determines the types of plants that will grow in them.

The largest number of plants found on the planet are angiosperms. They are those that have a protected seed. Later in the Quaternary, forests and jungles began to appear, mainly at the levels of the tropics. Every time the plants have undergone a greater specialization to the diverse environments.

Quaternary fauna

human development of quaternary fauna

The fauna did not vary much from the beginning of the Quaternary to the present. The animals that have been around since the beginning of the period have managed to survive different environmental variations. Most of them have remained until today. However, there are some important aspects to mention.

Mammals were the animals with the greatest evolution and development. Since a group of large mammals appeared, it was called megafauna. Among the megafauna there were very famous mammals recognized as the mammoth, megatherium and saber teeth. The main characteristic of these animals was their large size and that they were covered by a thick fur. These were type adaptation to be able to survive the cold.

Most of the animals belonging to the megafauna have already become extinct today. The mammoth continues today with the elephants and the saber-toothed tiger. The megatherium are the current sloths.

The Quaternary fauna is the one that has experienced the most extinctions. During the Holocene, the extinction of animals due to human development has increased. Humans are responsible for the systematic extinction of large numbers of animals. Among the emblematic animals that have become extinct, we can mention mammoths, dodos and the Tasmanian wolf, among others.

Amphibians are the most threatened as it is estimated that 30% of all species could disappear in the next few years. The development of the human being is a determining factor in the quaternary fauna. It is where the first hominids evolved to the presentl Homo sapiens. Behind the australopithecus the homo habilis and later the Homo erectus. This species already had the main characteristic of being able to walk upright on two limbs. This allowed him to have a wide view of the entire terrain that surrounded him.

He was also able to discover the game and experiment migrations to other continents. He Homo neanderthalensis it was one of the most peculiar. This is because his body was adapted to low temperatures. It was helped with the help of the fur of hunted animals and their clothing was made to protect themselves from the cold. Almost all the fossils of this species have been found on the European continent.

Already the Homo sapiens It is the one that establishes societies and marked a social hierarchy. Your brain is fully developed and can analyze various topics and aspects and deal with other more complex situations. He was also able to develop articulate language.

I hope that with this information you can learn more about the fauna of the Quaternary.


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