When did the Triassic Period begin and end?
The Triassic Period began 251.902 million years ago and ended 201.4 million years ago. This span covers 50.5 million years, making it the first and shortest geologic period of the Mesozoic Era.
Common questions about Triassic
Short answers, pulled from the story.
What caused the extreme heat during the Early Triassic?
Extreme thermal instability during the Early Triassic was driven by the discharge of titanic volumes of greenhouse gases from the Siberian Traps. This massive volcanic province continued to erupt into the Middle Triassic, creating the hottest portion of the entire Phanerozoic Eon.
Which animals dominated the terrestrial landscape during the Triassic Period?
Archosaurs dominated the terrestrial landscape during the Triassic Period, with pseudosuchians occupying the large-predator niche. These creatures included giant quadrupedal hunters and lumbering beasts known as rauisuchians, which were far more ecologically dominant than early dinosaurs.
What was the Early Triassic coal gap and why did it occur?
The Early Triassic coal gap refers to the absence of coal deposits from the start of the Triassic Period due to a complete collapse of swamp ecosystems. This hiatus was likely caused by sharp drops in sea level, acid rain from the Siberian Traps eruptions, and a greenhouse climate that was too hot and dry for peat accumulation.
How did the Triassic Period end and what triggered the extinction event?
The Triassic Period ended with a mass extinction triggered by huge volcanic eruptions that formed the Central Atlantic Magmatic Province. This magmatism occurred as the supercontinent Pangaea began to break apart about 202 to 191 million years ago, injecting carbon and sulphur into the atmosphere to cause climate warming and ocean acidification.