Life on Earth originated over 3.5 billion years ago, immediately after the completion of the formation of the earth's crust. Throughout the time, the emergence and development of living organisms influenced the formation of the relief, climate. Also, tectonic and climatic changes that have occurred over the years have influenced the development of life on Earth.
A table of the development of life on Earth can be compiled based on the chronology of events. The entire history of the Earth can be divided into certain stages. The largest of them are the era of life. They are divided into eras, eras into
periods, periods into eras, eras into centuries.
Era of life on earth
The entire period of life on Earth can be divided into 2 periods: Precambrian, or cryptose (primary period, 3.6 to 0.6 billion years), and Phanerozoic.
Cryptozoic includes the Archean (ancient life) and Proterozoic (primary life) era.
Phanerozoic includes the Paleozoic (ancient life), Mesozoic (middle life) and Cenozoic (new life) era.
These 2 periods of the development of life are usually divided into smaller ones - eras. The boundaries between eras are global evolutionary events, extinctions. In turn, eras are divided into periods, periods into eras. The history of the development of life on Earth is directly related to changes in the earth's crust and the climate of the planet.
Era of development, countdown
The most significant events are usually allocated in special time intervals - era. The countdown is in the reverse order, from ancient to new life. There are 5 er:
- Archean.
- Proterozoic.
- Paleozoic.
- Mesozoic.
- Cenozoic.
Periods of development of life on earth
Paleozoic, Mesozoic and Cenozoic eras include periods of development. These are smaller periods of time compared to eras.
Palaeozoic:
- Cambrian (Cambrian).
- Ordovician.
- Silurian (Silurian).
- Devonian (Devon).
- Coal (carbon).
- Perm (Perm).
Mesozoic era:
- Triassic (Triassic).
- Jurassic (Jurassic).
- Cretaceous (chalk).
Cenozoic era:
- Lower Tertiary (Paleogene).
- Upper Tertiary (Neogene).
- Quaternary, or anthropogen (human development).
The first 2 periods are included in the tertiary period of 59 million years.
Life Development Chart on Earth| Era, period | Duration | Live nature | Inanimate nature, climate |
| Archean era (ancient life) | 3.5 billion years | The appearance of blue-green algae, photosynthesis. Heterotrophs | The prevalence of land over the ocean, the minimum amount of oxygen in the atmosphere. |
Proterozoic era (early life) | 2.7 billion years | The appearance of worms, mollusks, the first chordates, soil formation. | Susha is a stone desert. The accumulation of oxygen in the atmosphere. |
| The Paleozoic era includes 6 periods: |
| 1. Cambrian (Cambrian) | 535-490 Ma | The development of living organisms. | Hot climate. The land is deserted. |
| 2. Ordovician | 490-443 Ma | The appearance of vertebrates. | Flooding with water on almost all platforms. |
| 3. Silurian (Silurian) | 443-418 Ma | The release of plants to land. The development of coral, trilobite. | The movement of the earth's crust with the formation of mountains. Seas prevail over land. The climate is diverse. |
| 4. Devonian (Devon) | 418-360 Ma | The appearance of mushrooms, brushfish. | The formation of intermontane depressions. The prevalence of dry climate. |
| 5. Coal (carbon) | 360-295 Ma | The appearance of the first amphibians. | Lowering of the continents with the flooding of territories and the occurrence of swamps. There is a lot of oxygen and carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. |
6. Perm (Perm) | 295-251 Ma | Extinction of trilobites and most amphibians. The beginning of the development of reptiles and insects. | Volcanic activity. Hot climate. |
| The Mesozoic era includes 3 periods: |
| 1. Triassic (Triassic) | 251-200 Ma | The development of gymnosperms. The first mammals and bone fish. | Volcanic activity. Warm and sharply continental climate. |
| 2. Jurassic (Jurassic) | 200-145 Ma | The appearance of angiosperms. The spread of reptiles, the emergence of a poultry. | The climate is mild and warm. |
| 3. Cretaceous (chalk) | 145-60 Ma | The appearance of birds, higher mammals. | Warm climate followed by cooling. |
| The Cenozoic era includes 3 periods: |
| 1. Lower Tertiary (Paleogene) | 65-23 Ma | The heyday of angiosperms. The development of insects, the appearance of lemurs and primates. | Mild climate with highlighting climatic zones. |
2. Upper Tertiary (Neogene) | 23-1.8 Ma | The appearance of ancient people. | Dry climate. |
3. Quaternary or anthropogen (human development) | 1.8-0 Ma | The appearance of man. | Cooling. |
The development of living organisms
The development table of life on Earth implies a division not only into time periods, but also into certain stages of the formation of living organisms, possible climatic changes (ice age, global warming).
- Archean era. The most significant changes in the evolution of living organisms are the appearance of blue-green algae - prokaryotes capable of reproduction and photosynthesis, the emergence of multicellular organisms. The appearance of living protein substances (heterotrophs), capable of absorbing organic substances dissolved in water. In the future, the appearance of these living organisms made it possible to divide the world into plant and animal.
- Proterozoic era. The appearance of unicellular algae, annelids, mollusks, marine intestinal worms. The appearance of the first chordates (lancelet). Soil formation occurs around water bodies.
- Palaeozoic.
- Cambrian period. The development of algae, marine invertebrates, mollusks.
- Ordovician period. Trilobites changed shell to calcareous. Cephalopods with a straight or slightly curved shell are common. The first vertebrates are fish-like jawless animal telodonts. Living organisms are concentrated in water.
- Silurian. The development of coral, trilobite. The first vertebrates appear. The release of plants on land (psilophytes).
- Devonian. The appearance of the first fish, stegocephalus. The appearance of mushrooms. The development and extinction of psilophytes. Development on land of higher spores.
- Carboniferous and Permian periods. The ancient land is full of reptiles, animal-like reptiles arise. Trilobites die out. Extinction of forests of the Carboniferous period. The development of gymnosperms, ferns.
- Triassic. Distribution of plants (gymnosperms). An increase in the number of reptiles. The first mammals, bone fish.
- Jurassic period. The prevalence of gymnosperms, the emergence of angiosperms. The appearance of the first bird, the flowering of cephalopods.
- Cretaceous period. Distribution of angiosperms, reduction of other plant species. The development of bone fish, mammals and birds.
- Cenozoic era.
- Lower Tertiary period (Paleogene). The heyday of angiosperms. The development of insects and mammals, the appearance of lemurs, later primates.
- Upper Tertiary period (Neogene). The formation of modern plants. The appearance of the ancestors of people.
- Quaternary period (anthropogen). The formation of modern plants, animals. The appearance of man.
Development of the conditions of inanimate nature, climate change
A table of the development of life on Earth cannot be presented without data on changes in inanimate nature. The emergence and development of life on Earth, new species of plants and animals, all this is accompanied by changes in inanimate nature and climate.
Climate change: Archean era
The history of the development of life on Earth began through the stage of the prevalence of land over water. The relief was poorly drawn. Carbon dioxide prevails in the atmosphere, the amount of oxygen is minimal. In shallow water, low salinity.
For the Archean era eruptions of volcanoes, lightning, black clouds are characteristic. Rocks are rich in graphite.
Climatic changes in the Proterozoic era
Land is a stone desert; all living organisms live in water. Oxygen accumulates in the atmosphere.
Climate change: Paleozoic era
During the different periods of the Paleozoic era, the following climate changes occurred:
- Cambrian period. The land is still deserted. The climate is hot.
- Ordovician period. The most significant changes are the flooding of almost all northern platforms.
- Silurian. Tectonic changes, conditions of inanimate nature are diverse. Mountain building occurs, the seas prevail over land. Areas of different climates, including cooling areas, were determined.
- Devonian. The climate is dry, continental. The formation of intermontane depressions.
- Carboniferous period. Lowering of the continents, wetlands. The climate is warm and humid, and there is a lot of oxygen and carbon dioxide in the atmosphere.
- Perm period. Hot climate, volcanic activity, mountain building, drying of swamps.
In the Paleozoic era, mountains of
Caledonian folding developed
. Such changes in the relief influenced the oceans - sea basins decreased, a significant land area was formed.
The Paleozoic era laid the foundation for almost all the major deposits of oil and coal.
Climatic changes in the Mesozoic
The climate of the different periods of the Mesozoic is characterized by the following features:
- Triassic. Volcanic activity, the climate is sharply continental, warm.
- Jurassic period. The climate is mild and warm. Seas prevail over land.
- Cretaceous period. The retreat of the seas from land. The climate is warm, but at the end of the period global warming is replaced by cooling.
In the Mesozoic era, previously formed mountain systems are destroyed, plains go under water (Western Siberia). In the second half of the era, the Cordillera formed, the mountains of Eastern Siberia, Indochina, partly Tibet, the mountains of Mesozoic folding were formed. A hot and humid climate prevails, contributing to the formation of swamps and peatlands.
Climate change - Cenozoic era
In the Cenozoic era there was a general uplift of the Earth's surface. The climate has changed. Numerous glaciations of the earth's cover coming from the north have changed the appearance of the continents of the Northern Hemisphere. Thanks to such changes, hilly plains were formed.
- Lower Tertiary period. Mild climate. Division into 3 climatic zones. The formation of the continents.
- Upper Tertiary period. Dry climate. The emergence of the steppes, savannah.
- Quaternary period. Multiple glaciation of the northern hemisphere. The cooling of the climate.
All changes during the development of life on Earth can be written in the form of a table that will reflect the most significant stages in the formation and development of the modern world. Despite the already known research methods, and now scientists continue to study history, make new discoveries that allow modern society to find out how life on Earth developed before the appearance of man.