Cenozoic Era

Earth Science 13.
4 Cenozoic Era : Age of Mammals
Cenozoic Era :
The Age
of
Mammals
The Age of Mammals
The Age of Mammals: (65 m –

present)
 If the Mesozoic was the “Age of

reptiles” the Cenozoic can be called
the “Age of Mammals”.
 During the Mesozoic, mammals were

mainly small scavengers and plant
eaters.
 After the Cretaceous extinction, Mammals of the Cenozoic

mammals began to adapt to
environments and expand in their
diversity.
The Age of Mammals
The Age of Mammals:

 Mammals succeeded during the
Cenozoic because of adaptations
that enabled them to out compete
the surviving reptiles.
 For example, because mammals are

warm-blooded, they can live in cold
environments and search for food
any time of day or time of year.
 Other adaptations include more

efficient hearts and lungs than Mammals of the Cenozoic
reptiles, and the development of
insulating body hair or fur.
 These adaptations allowed mammals

to lead more active lives than
reptiles.
The Age of Mammals
The Tertiary Period:
 During the Tertiary period (65 – 1.5

million), mountain building and climate
changes accompanied the breakup of
Pangaea. Mammals became
widespread and diverse worldwide.
 Major fragments of Pangaea became

separate continents during the
Tertiary.
 Seas separated North America from

South America and Europe from
Africa.
 Plate movements led to major

mountain building activity in western
North America (the Rockies), Europe
(the Alps) and India (the Himalayas).
The Age of Mammals
The Tertiary Period:
 Generally, climates during the

Tertiary period were cooler than
those of the Cretaceous.
 The mid-Tertiary had temperate

dry climates.
 Later in the period, Earth’s

climates cooled leading to the
development of large continental
glaciers in Antarctica about 10
million years ago.
The Age of Mammals
Tertiary Life:
 The Tertiary saw the development

of many new species, from
songbirds to snakes.
 The major development of the

Tertiary was the evolution of many
new types of mammals.
 Mammals evolved specialized limbs

and teeth for particular
environments.
 For example, meat-eaters evolved

sharp teeth for cutting and tearing.
Rodents developed self-sharpening
teeth for gnawing. Plant eaters
developed flat molars for chewing.
The Age of Mammals
Tertiary Life:
 Some animals evolved to take

advantage of a rich new food
source; grass.
 As the climate became cooler and

drier, vast grasslands developed.
 Many types of grazing animals,

including the ancestors of cattle
and horses, evolved during the
Tertiary.
The Age of Mammals
Quaternary Period: (5.3 – 0)
 Two factors have greatly affected

life on Earth during the
Quaternary period :
 The advance and retreat of

continental glaciers (which have
formed and melted about 30 times
in the last 3 million years)
 And the migration of homo sapiens

(humans) to every corner of the
Earth
The Age of Mammals
 A map showing the physical features of Earth 2 million years ago would
look much the same today.
 But beginning in the late tertiary, a series of ice ages covered large
parts of the northeast hemisphere with continental glaciers.
The Age of Mammals
 Because Earth is a complex system,

many factors determine whether
Earth’s climate becomes cold enough
for an ice age.
 These factors include ocean

currents, the size of the ice covered
areas, and the affects of living
things on the atmosphere.
The Age of Mammals
 In the 1940’s, astronomer Milutin

Milankovitch proposed that three
different cycles, related to Earth’s
movements, were the main cause of
ice ages.
 These cycles are called the

Milankovitch cycles.
The Age of Mammals
 For example, there is a 100,000 year

cycle related to changes in the shape
of the Earth’s orbit.
 Earth receives more or less energy

from the sun depending on it’s
position within each of these cycles.
The Age of Mammals
 Milankovitch thought that ice ages

occur when solar energy reaching
Earth is at a minimum.
 Scientists today think that

Milankovitch cycles provide a
“partial” explanation for recent ice
ages.
The Age of Mammals
Quaternary Life: (5.3 – 0)
 One trend in evolution during both

the Tertiary and Quaternary periods
was that some mammals became very
large.
 During the ice ages, many large

mammals lived in the cold grasslands,
or steppe, that bordered the ice
covered regions of North America.
The Age of Mammals
 These animals included mastodons

and mammoths, which were both
huge ancestors of the elephant.
 In North America, there were also

giant beavers, ground sloths, wolves.
bears, sabre-tooth cats and bison.
 All these animals became extinct

about 10,000 years ago, at the end
of the last ice age.
The Age of Mammals
 How can the extinction at the end of

this last ice age have occurred?
 Scientists have multiple theories. No

single explanation provides a
complete answer.
The Age of Mammals
 Some scientists suggest disease or

climate change played an important
role in their demise.
 Still other scientists suggest that

humans hunted large animals down to
the point of extinction.
 Other skeptics question whether

small groups of humans could have
caused so many different species to
all go extinct all at once.
The Age of Mammals
 Modern Homo sapiens evolved from

ancestors in Africa more than
100,000 years ago.
 The fossil record shows that about

50,000 years ago early humans began
to migrate out of Africa.
 Soon, the range of early humans

extended from Europe, Africa, and
Asia to Australia.
The Age of Mammals
 Than, as sea level fell during the last

ice age, a land bridge formed that
connected Asia with North America.
 Scientists think this land bridge

enabled humans to migrate to the
Americas about 14,000 years ago.
The Age of Mammals
 Today, Homo sapiens - humans

inhabit every continent. Our species
has become the most powerful
factor in changing Earth’s
environment; for the better or
worse.
 This in turn affects the other

species with whom we share the
planet.

Cenozoic Era

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Earth Science 13.

4 Cenozoic Era : Age of Mammals

The Age of Mammals: (65 m –

 If the Mesozoic was the “Age of

 During the Mesozoic, mammals were

 After the Cretaceous extinction, Mammals of the Cenozoic

The Age of Mammals:

 For example, because mammals are

 Other adaptations include more

 These adaptations allowed mammals

 During the Tertiary period (65 – 1.5

 Major fragments of Pangaea became

 Seas separated North America from

 Plate movements led to major

 Generally, climates during the

 The mid-Tertiary had temperate

 Later in the period, Earth’s

 The Tertiary saw the development

 The major development of the

 Mammals evolved specialized limbs

 For example, meat-eaters evolved

 Some animals evolved to take

 As the climate became cooler and

 Many types of grazing animals,

 Two factors have greatly affected

 The advance and retreat of

 And the migration of homo sapiens

 Because Earth is a complex system,

 These factors include ocean

 In the 1940’s, astronomer Milutin

 These cycles are called the

 For example, there is a 100,000 year

 Earth receives more or less energy

 Milankovitch thought that ice ages

 Scientists today think that

 One trend in evolution during both

 During the ice ages, many large

 These animals included mastodons

 In North America, there were also

 All these animals became extinct

 How can the extinction at the end of

 Scientists have multiple theories. No

 Some scientists suggest disease or

 Still other scientists suggest that

 Other skeptics question whether

 Modern Homo sapiens evolved from

 The fossil record shows that about

 Soon, the range of early humans

 Than, as sea level fell during the last

 Scientists think this land bridge

 Today, Homo sapiens - humans

 This in turn affects the other

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