GenBIO summary

HISTORY OF LIFE ON EARTH

Precambrian Eon

-it covers a large portion of

Earth’s history.It

has three major subdivisions: Hadean,

Archean and

Proterozoic.

Hadean eon

The Hadean Eon lasted from about 4.6 to 4 billion years ago, during which Earth underwent significant
changes. It was a time of intense heat and frequent impacts from asteroids and comets, with no
evidence of life.

During the Hadean Eon, Earth formed from dust and gas in the solar system, and the first solid rocks and
crust began to form.

Tthe formation of oceans and the emergence of the first continents. Volcanic activity was intense, and
the atmosphere was primarily composed of methane, ammonia, and water vapor. As the eon
progressed, the atmosphere began to change, with the emergence of free oxygen, paving the way for
life to eventually develop.

Archean eon

During the Archean Eon, the first continents began to form, and the Earth's atmosphere gradually
changed, becoming less hostile to life. The earliest evidence of life on Earth has been found in the form
of microbial fossils and stromatolites, which are layered structures formed by communities of bacteria.

the Archean Eon was a crucial period in Earth's history, laying the foundation for the development of
more complex life forms and the geological processes that continue to shape the planet today.

proterozioc eon

During this time, the first eukaryotic cells and multicellular organisms appeared, and the atmosphere
continued to evolve, becoming oxygen-rich.during the proterozioc eon the formation of supercontinents
such as Columbia and Rodinia.

Paleozoic era

Contains six periods: cambrian, ordovician, silurian, devonian, carboniferous, permian.

During this time, there was an unprecedented increase in the diversity of life on Earth like the
emergence of the first vertebrates and land plants, as well as the diversification of marine invertebrates
such as trilobites, brachiopods, and mollusks.
The Paleozoic Era was marked by several major events, including the Cambrian Explosion, which is the
rapid diversification of life forms. The Ordovician-Silurian extinction event was the first of the "big five"
mass extinctions in Earth's history, while the Devonian period saw the evolution of tetrapods and the
emergence of forests.

The Paleozoic Era ended with the Permian-Triassic extinction event, which was the largest extinction
event in Earth's history and wiped out over 90% of marine species and 70% of land species. The era
concluded with the emergence of the supercontinent Pangaea.

Cambrian -there was a rapid diversification of life on Earth known as the Cambrian Explosion

Ordovician- marine life continued to diversify and evolve after the Cambrian Explosion. Many new
species of invertebrates, such as trilobites, brachiopods, and bryozoans, emerged during this time

Silurian-marine life continued to evolve and diversify following the Ordovician-Silurian extinction event.
The first jawed fish, known as placoderms, emerged during this time, as well as the first land plants,
which likely evolved from freshwater algae.

Devonian-marine life continued to diversify and many new types of fish emerged, including the first
sharks. The first amphibians also evolved during this time, marking the transition from aquatic to
terrestrial life.The Devonian period is sometimes referred to as the "Age of Fishes" due to the
diversification of fish during this time.

Carboniferous-The period was marked by the formation of vast tropical forests and the development of
the first reptiles, which were well adapted to the terrestrial environment.

Permian-The period was marked by the continued formation of the supercontinent of Pangaea, which
led to extensive arid environments and the development of new species of reptiles, including the
ancestors of modern mammals, and the emergence of new insect groups, including the first beetles, and
the evolution of many marine invertebrates, such as ammonites and crinoids was present in this period.

The period ended with the most severe of the "big five" mass extinctions, the Permian-Triassic
extinction event, which eliminated over 90% of all marine species and 70% of land species.