Tertiary Geological Period
The tertiary period ( also referred to as the Paleogene period and Neogene period) represents the first geological period in the Cenozoic era. The tertiary geological period lasted from approximately 66 million to 2.6 million years ago. The tertiary geological period began with the death of non-avian dinosaurs (any dinosaurs that are not birds) in the Cretaceous–Paleogene extinction event, at the start of the Cenozoic Era, and extended to Quaternary glaciation at the end of the Pliocene Epoch. The dates have been further adjusted as Science advances when new evidence is found.
Tertiary Time Period
The tertiary time period began about 66 million years ago with a mass extinction that noticed the dinosaur and ended when the ice ages of the Quaternary Period began, about 2.6 million years ago.
Tertiary Period Epochs
Following are the Five Tertiary Period Epochs:
The Paleocene Epoch (first epoch of the tertiary period) lasted from 65 to 55.8 million years ago. This epoch marks the beginning of the Cenozoic era and the tertiary period.
The Eocene Epoch (second epoch of the tertiary period) lasted from about 55.8 to 33.9 million years ago
The. Oligocene Epoch (third epoch of the tertiary period) lasted from about 33.9 to 23 million years ago.
The Miocene Epoch (fourth epoch of the tertiary period) lasted from about 23 to 5.3 million years ago.
The Pliocene Epoch (fifth epoch of the tertiary period) lasted from about 5.3 to 2.6 million years ago.
Tertiary Plants
The tertiary plants closely resemble the plants that we have at present. The warmer climate of the tertiary period, in the beginning, favored dense forests. As the climate cooled, it opened woodland and grassland became abundant. The grasses played an important role during the tertiary period as they supported a large herd of grazing animals.
Tertiary Period Climate
The tertiary period climate during the beginning was very warm and moist compared to today's climate. Much of the Earth was tropical or subtropical. Plant trees grew as far North as Grasslands. The climate began to cool by the middle of the tertiary i.e. during the Oligocene epoch. The cooling trend of the climate continues and by the Pliocene epoch, ice had begun.
Tertiary Period Animals
During the start of the tertiary era, the first large mammals and primitive primates were largely seen. Soon, at the start of the second epoch of the tertiary period i.e. Eocene epoch, the first modern mammals began to appear, and within a short span, most modern mammals were observed. Reptiles during the tertiary era were replaced as the dominant vertebrates by mammals. Fossils reveal that during the early tertiary era, birds, reptiles, fish, and amphibians were also seen. The earliest observed hominid relatives of humans, Proconsul and Australopithecus, also appeared during the Tertiary era. Modern families of flowering plants were also developed whereas marine invertebrates and non-mammal marine vertebrates experienced only moderate evolution.
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Tertiary Period Major Events
In terms of tertiary period major events, the tertiary era covers the major demise of dinosaurs and the beginning of the most recent ice age. At the start of the tertiary period, reptiles were replaced by mammals as dominant vertebrates. Furthermore, all the non-avian dinosaurs also became extinct. Modern types of birds, reptiles, fish, amphibians, were numerous at the beginning of this period, but also continued to appear early on, and also the new age families of flowering plants evolved. At last, but not least the earliest recognizable hominid relatives of humans also appeared.
With respect to the geology, there was a plethora of tectonic activity that continued from the previous eras, culminating in the division of Gondwana and the clashing of the Indian landmass with Eurasian plates. This caused the formation of the Himalayas, the gradual establishment of the continent of Australia, the separation of South America from West Africa and its connection with North America, and Anatatrica taking its present position below the South pole.
With respect to the climate, the period was marked by extensive cooling at the beginning of the Paleocene with tropical - to - moderate global temperature and ending before the first massive glaciers at the start of the Quaternary.
Did You Know?
The tertiary period is the period that belongs to the Cenozoic era.
The Cenozoic era was further divided into Palaeogene, Neogene, and Quaternary periods. The Palaeogene and Neogene periods are togetherly known as the tertiary period.
The Paleogene period is further subdivided into the Oligocene epoch and the second epoch of the tertiary period i.e. Eocene epoch and the Pliocene epoch. Each of these epochs contributed to the life forms, species, and other different factors of the tertiary period.
The second epoch of the tertiary period starred 65 million years ago with a span of 17 million years. It was one of the dominant parts of the Paleogene period and contributed immensely in the life of the development of the Paleogene period.
The tertiary period includes the present-day configuration of the continents, the cooling of global temperatures, and the rise of mammals as the planet's dominant vertebrates.
The tertiary era falls between the Mesozoic and the Quaternary, although no longer recognized as any formal unit by the International Commission on Stratigraphy.
Italian geologist Giovanni Arduino in 1760 introduced the name “ Tertiary’
The present Geological time scale uses the terms Paleigen and Neogene rather than the Tertiary. It observed the three periods of geological time including the Quaternary, in the Cenozoic era.
FAQs on Tertiary Period
1. What is the Tertiary Period in Earth's geological history?
The Tertiary Period is a geological period that lasted from approximately 66 to 2.6 million years ago. It marks the beginning of the Cenozoic Era, immediately following the mass extinction event that wiped out the non-avian dinosaurs. This period is crucial as it saw the rise and diversification of mammals, the formation of modern mountain ranges, and significant climate shifts.
2. What are the five epochs that make up the Tertiary Period?
The Tertiary Period is divided into five distinct epochs, each with unique climatic and biological characteristics. In chronological order, they are:
- Paleocene: The recovery period after the dinosaur extinction, with early mammals beginning to fill ecological niches.
- Eocene: A warm, tropical epoch where modern mammal orders, including primates and whales, first appeared.
- Oligocene: A cooling period that saw the expansion of grasslands and the evolution of larger mammals.
- Miocene: Known for the continued diversification of apes and the appearance of early hominids.
- Pliocene: Characterised by a cooler and drier climate, leading towards the ice ages, with the emergence of early human ancestors like Australopithecus.
3. What were the major geological events during the Tertiary Period?
The Tertiary Period was a time of intense geological activity. The most significant event was the ongoing process of continental drift, which moved continents towards their current positions. This movement led to major mountain-building events, known as orogenies, which formed prominent ranges like the Alps in Europe and the Himalayas in Asia as the Indian plate collided with the Eurasian plate.
4. How did the Earth's climate change throughout the Tertiary Period?
The climate of the Tertiary Period underwent a dramatic long-term change. It began with the very warm, greenhouse conditions of the Paleocene and Eocene epochs. However, starting in the Oligocene, a gradual but steady cooling and drying trend began. This cooling intensified through the Miocene and Pliocene, leading to the formation of large polar ice caps and eventually culminating in the ice ages of the subsequent Quaternary Period.
5. What types of animals were dominant during the Tertiary Period?
The Tertiary Period is famously known as the 'Age of Mammals'. With the dinosaurs gone, mammals underwent explosive diversification. Early forms of modern mammals appeared and evolved, including the first horses, bats, whales, primates, and rodents. Large herbivores and formidable predators like sabre-toothed cats also roamed the evolving landscapes.
6. How did plant life evolve during the Tertiary Period?
Plant life also transformed significantly during this period. Initially, dense forests were widespread. However, as the climate became cooler and drier in the later epochs, flowering plants (angiosperms) and conifers thrived. A major development was the vast expansion of grasslands and savannas, which in turn influenced the evolution of grazing mammals like horses and antelopes.
7. Why is the Tertiary Period often called the 'Age of Mammals'?
The Tertiary Period earned the title 'Age of Mammals' because of the process of adaptive radiation. Following the extinction of large reptiles, numerous ecological niches became vacant. Mammals, which had been small and relatively inconspicuous, rapidly evolved and diversified to fill these roles. They grew in size, complexity, and variety, becoming the dominant terrestrial and marine vertebrates on the planet.
8. How did the formation of the Himalayas in the Tertiary Period impact global climate?
The uplift of the vast Himalayan mountain range was a monumental geological event with profound climatic consequences. The high-altitude barrier significantly altered atmospheric circulation patterns, most notably strengthening the Asian monsoon systems. Furthermore, the weathering of these new mountains consumed large amounts of atmospheric carbon dioxide, contributing to the long-term global cooling trend that characterized the latter half of the Tertiary Period.
9. What is the significance of the Tertiary Period ending with the formation of land bridges?
The global cooling at the end of the Tertiary Period locked up vast amounts of water in polar ice caps, causing sea levels to drop significantly. This exposed land that was previously underwater, creating land bridges between continents, such as the Bering Strait between Asia and North America. This was highly significant as it allowed for the intercontinental migration of plants and animals, an event known as the Great American Biotic Interchange, which drastically reshaped the planet's biogeography.
