The Ordovician Period was introduced as a time where marine families tripled in size and the first plants were present on land. Towards the end of this period, the ocean was empty, causing the Ordovician extinction. The Ordovician extinction became known as the first out of the five big extinctions. During this time, graptolites nearly wiped out and it was concluded to be caused by a mass extinction. A theory was developed about the Ordovician extinction: it was believed to be caused by glaciation. With glaciation, temperatures and sea levels drop, causing marine habitats to disappear and oxygen levels in the cold water to rise.
Later in the chapter, the End-Permian Extinction was described to be caused by global warming and ocean acidification. As a result of this extinction, 90% of the species during this time were wiped out (Pg. 103). (C) The problem of global warming is still prominent in our world today. There are many ways in which this issue is being addressed such as the use renewable energy.
Kolbert explains that many names were “suggested for the new age that humans have ushered in” (Pg. 107). Dutch chemist Paul Crutzen invented the name “Anthropocene” and he strongly believed that this name should be used because of the human-dominated geological epoch of the present. Crutzen stated, “Human activity has transformed between a third and a half of the land surface of the planet” (Pg. 108). (E) I believe Crutzen is suggesting that humans are taking over the environment and utilizing the planet’s natural resources for their own personal gain, connecting to the theme “Technology and population growth have enabled humans to increase both the rate and scale of their impact on the environment”.
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