The Neogene and Quaternary Periods

Neogene &
Quaternary
By Pablo Gimeno and
Paula JIménez
Cenozoic Era
Paleogene Period Neogene Period Quaternary Period
Paleocene Epoch Miocene Epoch Pleistocene Epoch
Eocene Epoch Pliocene Epoch Holocene Epoch
Oligocene Epoch The Cenozoic Era started 66 million years ago and still continues,
according to the geologic time scale.
Neogene Period
23 million - 2.6 million years ago
Miocene Period (23.0 MYA)
The Neogene Period marks the middle chapter of the
Cenozoic Era. The world transitioned from the lush
rainforests of the Paleogene to the cooler, drier
landscapes that dominate today.
Pliocene Period (5.3 MYA)
Key Epochs: Miocene, Pliocene.
Miocene Epoch Pliocene Epoch
23-5 million years ago 5-2.6 million years ago
"Age of Mammals" kicks in. Land giants like Grasslands expand further. First glaciers
mastodons and rhinos thrive. Ice sheets form appear in Northern Hemisphere.
in Antarctica.
Early hominids like Lucy (Australopithecus
Hominoids like Australopithecus afarensis walk afarensis) live in Africa.
upright. Whales reach their peak diversity.
KEY EVENTS
CONTINENTAL DISTRIBUTION
Connection of America and formation of the Himalayas
The isthmus of Panama formed, joining America in one continent. The warm currents that
crossed from the Pacific Ocean to the Atlantic ocean were cut off. India continued to collide
with Asia, therefore forming the Himalayas. Sea levels fell.
MARINE LIFE
Expansion of life forms
Coral algae first appeared in oceans, creating and forming reefs.

There is a great expansion of whales and dolphins and megalodons (sharks in the
neogene).
TERRESTRIAL LIFE
Origin of big mammals and dominance of small animals
Small animals like rats, frogs, snakes or passerine birds dominate over big mammals that
first appeared in this era, like dinothermius.
Grassy plants exended due to the drier conditions, and forests shrunk. Angiosperm’s
dominance continued.
The ancestors of humans and the Homo genus, the Australopithecus, lived in the Pliocene.
Climate
Global cooling and pole glaciation
By the Pliocene epoch, ice sheets started forming in the Northern Hemisphere, marking
the beginning of the long-term glacial cycles that continue today.
The poles suffered a glaciation that persists nowadays.
The formation of the Isthmus of Panama contributed to the general cooling down of water
masses on Earth.
Quaternary Period
2.6 million years ago - present
This period is often known as the "Ice Age" due to its

Pleistocene Period (2.6 MYA)
signature feature: repeated cycles of glacial advance and
retreat that dramatically shaped our planet.
Key Epochs: Pleistocene, Holocene (our current epoch).
Holocene Period (0.01 MYA)

Pleistocene Epoch Holocene Epoch
2.6 million - 11,700 years ago 11,700 years ago - present
Ice ages dominate, with glaciers advancing Current epoch. Ice age ends, with a stable
and retreating repeatedly. Megafauna like warm climate. Humans spread across the
mammoths and saber-toothed cats live globe and influence the environment
alongside early humans. Homo sapiens evolve significantly. Modern flora and fauna were
in Africa and migrate globally. established.
KEY EVENTS
Continental distribution
Formation of current landforms
The landforms we can observe nowadays formed completely.

The Himalayas finished forming.
In the Holocene, the sea levels rose and stayed at a fixed level after the glaciation periods.
Human evolution
The Homo genus
The last Australopithecus evolved into the Homo genus, that included the:
Homo habilis, who was the first Homo capable of constructing instruments and weapons (2.5-1.44 mya)
Homo erectus, who was the first one to expand all around the world and discovered fire (1.8 mya-300
kya)
Homo neanderthalensis, who was well-adapted to cold weathers and lived in groups (250-29 kya)
Homo sapiens, or humans, who appeared in Africa and extended all around the world, replacing the
Neanderthals. (250 kya- present)
Terrestrial life
Extreme conditions
Megafauna and early humans lived together for some time.

Until the extinction of big mammals, like mamuts.
Glaciar climate have a big impact in fauna and flora, they moved to the south, their vitable
space was reducced as well as their food.
Flora and fauna evoluted to the one in the present.
Climate
Glaciar
The Quaternary witnessed multiple "glacial-interglacial" cycles, where vast ice sheets
covered large parts of continents during glacial periods, then retreated during warmer
interglacials.
The Holocene epoch marked the end of the oscillating galcial periods, establishing a much
more stable, seasonal climate.
Thank you for
listening!

The Neogene and Quaternary Periods

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

The Neogene and Quaternary Periods

Uploaded by

Document Information

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

The Neogene and Quaternary Periods

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

Neogene &

Paleogene Period Neogene Period Quaternary Period

Paleocene Epoch Miocene Epoch Pleistocene Epoch

Eocene Epoch Pliocene Epoch Holocene Epoch

23-5 million years ago 5-2.6 million years ago

Coral algae first appeared in oceans, creating and forming reefs.

This period is often known as the "Ice Age" due to its

Key Epochs: Pleistocene, Holocene (our current epoch).

Holocene Period (0.01 MYA)

2.6 million - 11,700 years ago 11,700 years ago - present

The landforms we can observe nowadays formed completely.

Megafauna and early humans lived together for some time.

You might also like