General Biology 2

Quarter 3 Lesson 2

History of Life on Earth

History Life on Earth
Most Essential Learning Competencies

• Describe general features of the history of life

on Earth, including generally accepted dates
and sequence of the geologic time scale and
characteristics of major groups of organisms
present during this time periods.
 General Biology 2
Geologic Time Scale
Geologic Time Scale
A record of life forms and geological events in
Earth’s history.

Divides up the history if the earth based on life-

forms that have existed during specific times since
the creation of the planet.
Geologic Time Scale
Geologic Time Scale
Geologic Time Scale
•Fossils - remnant,
impression, or trace of
an animal or plant of a
past geologic age that
has been preserved in
Earth’s crust.
•Fossil Record – is the
primary source of
information about the
history of life on Earth.
 Geologic Time Scale
4.6 BILLION YEARS AGO PRESENT TIME

EONS
ERAS
PERIODS
EPOCHS
• Eon
The largest division
of geologic time
scale; half billion –
nearly 2 billion
years.
• Precambrian
- 4.5 billion years;
about 88% of the
Earth’s history.
- Hadean
- Archean
- Proterozoic
Hadean

Formation of the
Earth.
Archean

Formation of the
oldest fossil.
Proterozoic

Formation of
bacteria and blue
algae.
• Phanerozoic
- is the current
geologic eon in the
geologic time scale,
and the one during
which abundant
animal and plant
life existed.
• Era
Divisions that span
time periods of tens
to hundreds of
million years.

- Paleozoic Era
- Mesozoic Era
- Cenozoic Era
 • Paleozoic Era
Known as the “ancient or old
life”; started more than 540
million years ago

Many organisms
that have emerged
during this time
were invertebrates.
• Period
A division of
geologic history
with spans of no
more than 100
million years.
- Paleozoic Era
- Mesozoic Era
- Cenozoic Era
• Cambrian Period
The era began with a
spectacular burst of new
life. This is called as
Cambrian Explosion.
 • Ordovician Period
A division of geologic history
with spans of no more than
100 million years.

A great evolutionary
radiation of marine life.
 • Ordovician Period
A division of geologic history
with spans of no more than
100 million years.

A great evolutionary
radiation of marine life.
 • Ordovician Period
A division of geologic history
with spans of no more than
100 million years.

A great evolutionary
radiation of marine life.
 • Silurian Period
In the oceans, coral appeared,
and fish continued to evolve.

On the land, vascular

plants appeared.
 • Devonian Period
The first seed plants evolved.

Fish with lobe fins

evolved.
 • Carboniferous Period
Widespread forests of huge
plants left massive deposits of
carbon that eventually turned
to coal.

The first amphibians

evolve to colonize land.

The first reptiles evolved.

 • Permian Period
All the major land masses
collided to form a
supercontinent called Pangaea.

Plants and animals

evolved adaptations to
dryness.
 • Mesozoic Era
“Middle Life”; started more than
280 million years ago.
Age of Reptiles

Also known
as “Era of
Dinosaurs”
 • Triassic Period
The first dinosaurs branched off
from the reptiles and colonized
the land, air and water.

Huge seed ferns and

conifers dominated
the forests, and
modern corals, fish
and insects evolved.
 • Triassic Period
The supercontinent Pangea
started to separate into Laurasia
and Gondwanaland.

The Triassic Period

ended with a mass
extinction.
 • Jurassic Period
“The Golden Age of Dinosaurs”
earliest birds evolved from
reptile ancestors.

All the major group

of mammals
evolved, though
individual mammals
were still small in
size.
 • Jurassic Period
“The Golden Age of Dinosaurs”
earliest birds evolved from
reptile ancestors.

Flowering plants
appeared for the
first time, and new
insects also evolved
to pollinate the
flowers.
 • Cretaceous Period
Dinosaurs reached their peak in
size and distribution.

Earth’s overall
climate was warm;
even the poles
lacked ice.
 • Cretaceous Period
Dinosaurs reached their peak in
size and distribution.

Earth’s overall
climate was warm;
even the poles
lacked ice.
 • Cenozoic Era
“Recent Life” started 65 million
years ago and continues up to
present.

Also known
as “The Age
of Mammals”
 • Tertiary Period
Earth’s climate was generally
warm and humid.

Mammals called
primates evolved,
including human
ancestors.
 • Tertiary Period
Earth’s climate was generally
warm and humid.

Modern rainforests
and grasslands
appeared.
Flowering plants and
insects were
numerous and
widespread.
 • Quaternary Period
Earths climate cooled leading to
a series of ice ages.

This created land

bridges between
continents,
allowing land
animals to move to
new areas.
• Epoch
Smallest division of the geologic time scale.