GEOLOGIC TIME SCALE OF THE

HISTORY OF LIFE ON EARTH

for General Biology 2 Grade 11
Quarter 3 / Week 2

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 FOREWORD

Dear students of Senior High School, welcome back

to this week’s self-learning kit where you will journey to the
new lesson. This learning kit will serve as a guide in
understanding deeply the concepts on the history of life
on Earth.

Geologic time is the extensive interval of time

occupied by the geologic history of Earth. It is the
―calendar‖ for events in Earth history. It subdivides all time
into named units of abstract time called—in descending
order of duration—eons, eras, periods, epochs, and ages.

We shall embark on this module the sequence of

events that took place and feature the characteristics of
each major event.

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OBJECTIVES

At the end of the lesson, learners shall be able to:

K: describe the general features of the different
subdivisions that characterized the earliest animals
and when they appeared on Earth;
S: identify the subdivisions of the geologic time scale; and
A: appreciate the beginnings of life and its existence in
the present time.

LEARNING COMPETENCY

Describe general features of the history of life on Earth,

including generally accepted dates and sequence of the
geologic time scale and characteristics of major groups of
organisms present during these time periods.
(STEM_BIO11/12-IIIc-g-8)

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I. WHAT HAPPENED
Let’s Have Fun: Four Pics, One Word

Directions. Analyze carefully the pictures below. Guess the

word being described from the pictures. Clues are given
using the jumbled letters provided. Write your answer in your
notebook.

Sources:
https://pixels.com/featured/triassic-landscape-publiphoto.html
https://study.com/academy/lesson/holocene-epoch-lesson-for-kids.html
https://www.emedicinehealth.com/how_many_days_after_your_period_do_you_ovulate/articl
e_em.htm
https://www.pngfind.com/mpng/iiJixwJ_tcr77220-punctuation-marks-magnetic-accents-
image-punctuation-marks/

RICHDEPO

Answer: _______ _______ _______ ________ ______ _______

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II. WHAT I NEED TO KNOW
DISCUSSION

The earth is around 4.5 billion years old. The planet we all call
our home has undergone a series of geological and biological
challenges that have changed not only its landscape but also its
inhabitants. By studying the Earth’s geological timeline, we will be
able to trace the processes by which fossils and living organisms
have evolved since the time that life started until the present day.

Figure 1. Geologic Time Scale. Source: https://www.mcqbiology.com/2012/10/mcq-on-evolution-

geological-time-scale.html#.YBESOOgzbos

Both the likeness and the differences between all present-

day organisms indicate the presence of a common ancestor from
which all known species have originated and diverged from
through the process of evolution. (General Biology 2 Textbook for
Senior High School. Quezon City: Vibal Group, Inc.)

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Figure 2. Geologic Time Scale where the history of earth is divided into eons, eras and periods. Source:
https://www.pinterest.ph/pin/175499716715361317/

Geologic time may be divided into epochs which last for less
than ten million years, periods lasting for tens of millions of years,
eras which last for hundreds of millions of years, and in eons which
last for billions of years. Many scientists have studied the Earth and

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how changes in the Earth’s land and water forms and its
atmosphere have brought about the subsequent evolution of the
species. The Earth’s geological life may be divided in the
following:

1. Precambrian

This is a period of time extending from about 4.6 billion years

ago (the point at which Earth began to form) to the beginning of
the Cambrian Period, 541 million years ago. The Precambrian
encompasses the Archean and Proterozoic eons, which are
formal geologic intervals that lasted from 4 billion to about 541
million years ago, and the Hadean Eon, which is an informal
interval spanning from 4.6 billion to 4 billion years ago. The
Precambrian represents more than 80% of the total geologic
record. All life forms were long assumed to have originated in the
Cambrian, and therefore, all earlier rocks were grouped together
into the Precambrian. Although many varied forms of life evolved
and were preserved extensively as fossil remains in Cambrian
sedimentary rocks, detailed mapping and examination of
Precambrian rocks on most continents have revealed that
additional primitive life forms existed approximately 3.5 billion
years ago. Nevertheless, the original terminology to distinguish
Precambrian rocks from all younger rocks is still used for
subdividing geologic time.
(https://www.britannica.com/science/Precambrian)

The earliest evidence for the advent of life includes

Precambrian microfossils that resemble algae, cysts of flagellates,
tubes interpreted to be the remains of filamentous organisms, and
stromatolites (sheetlike mats precipitated by communities of
microorganisms). In the late Precambrian, the first multicellular
organisms evolved, and sexual division developed. By the end of
the Precambrian, conditions were set for the explosion of life that
took place at the start of the Cambrian, the first period of the
Phanerozoic Eon (541 million years ago to the present).
(https://www.britannica.com/science/Precambrian)

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 The Earth was already more than 600 million years old when
life began. The planet had cooled down from its original molten
state, developing a solid crust and oceans created from water
vapor in the atmosphere. Many scientists think these primordial
seas gave rise to life, with hot, mineral-rich volcanic vents acting
as catalysts for chemical reactions across the surface of tiny
water bubbles, which led to the first cell membranes. Other
bubbles are thought to have formed self-replicating substances
by attracting chemicals from around them. Over time the two
combined to produce energy-using, living cells.

The earliest living organisms were microscopic bacteria,

which show up in the fossil record as early as 3.4 billion years ago.
As their numbers multiplied and supplies of their chemical fuel
were eaten up, bacteria sought out an alternative energy
source. New varieties began to harness the power of the sun
through a biochemical process known as photosynthesis—a
move that would ultimately lead to simple plants and which
opened the planet up to animal life.

Some three billion years ago, the Earth's atmosphere was

virtually devoid of oxygen. At about 2.4 billion years ago, oxygen
was released from the seas as a byproduct of photosynthesis by
cyanobacteria. Levels of the gas gradually climbed, reaching
about 1% around two billion years ago. About 800 million years
ago, oxygen levels reached
about 21% and began to
breathe life into more complex
organisms. The oxygen-rich
ozone layer was also
established, shielding the
Earth's surface from harmful
solar radiation.

Figure 3. Dickinsonia fossil. Source: google.com/search?q=dickinsonia+fossil&rlz=1C1BNSD_enPH940P

H940&tbm=isch&source=iu&ictx=1&fir=jF7_g313B5IIOM%252CeplEpJjRD9OoPM%252C_&vet=1&usg=AI
4_kSSR5o5A8NPkhSZOrvSX1a7_u3OLQ&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwiout2EuebuAhVM05QKHadzC80Q_h0wAH
oECBcQAw&biw=1536&bih=754#imgrc=jF7_g313B5IIOM

The first multicelled animals appeared in the fossil record

almost 600 million years ago. Known as the Ediacarans, these

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bizarre creatures bore little resemblance to modern life forms.
They grew on the seabed and lacked any obvious heads,
mouths, or digestive organs. Fossils of the largest known among
them, Dickinsonia, resemble a ribbed doormat. What happened
to the mysterious Ediacarans is not clear. They could be the
ancestors of later animals, or they may have been completely
erased by extinction.

The earliest multicelled animals that survived the

Precambrian fall into three main categories. The simplest of these
soft-bodied creatures were sponges. Lacking organs or a nervous
system, they lived by drawing water through their bodies and
filtering out food particles. The cnidarians, which included sea
anemones, corals, and jellyfish, had sac-like bodies and a simple
digestive system with a mouth but no anus. They caught food
using tentacles armed with microscopic stinging cells. The third
group, the annelids, or segmented flatworms, had fluid-filled
body cavities and breathed through their skins.
(David Doubilet and Jennifer Hayes.
https://www.nationalgeographic.com/science/prehistoric-
world/precambrian-time/)

2. The Cenozoic Era

The Cenozoic Era is the most recent of the three major

subdivisions of animal history.

The Cenozoic spans only about 65 million years, from the end
of the Cretaceous Period and the extinction of non-
avian dinosaurs to the present. The Cenozoic is sometimes called
the Age of Mammals, because the largest land animals have
been mammals during that time. This is a misnomer for several
reasons. First, the history of mammals began long before the
Cenozoic began. Second, the diversity of life during the Cenozoic
is far wider than mammals. The Cenozoic could have been called
the "Age of Flowering Plants" or the "Age of Insects" or the "Age of
Teleost Fish" or the "Age of Birds" just as accurately.
(https://ucmp.berkeley.edu/cenozoic/cenozoic.php)

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 The Cenozoic (65.5 million years ago to present) is divided
into three periods: the Paleogene (65.5 to 23.03 million years ago),
Neogene (23.03 to 2.6 million years ago), and the Quaternary
(2.6 million years ago to present). Paleogene and Neogene are
relatively new terms that now replace the deprecated term,
Tertiary. The Paleogene is subdivided into three epochs: the
Paleocene (65.5 to 55.8 million years ago), the Eocene (55.8 to
33.9 million years ago), and the Oligocene (33.9 to 23.03 million
years ago). The Neogene is subdivided into two epochs: the
Miocene (23.03 to 5.332 million years ago) and Pliocene (5.332 to
2.588 million years ago)
(https://ucmp.berkeley.edu/cenozoic/cenozoic.php)

Figure 4. Cenozoic Period.

Source: https://www.google.com/search?rlz=1C1BNSD_enPH940PH940&ei=z54nYOjrNIm2mAW1pq_AC
Q&q=cenozoic&oq=cenozoic&gs_lcp=Cgdnd3Mtd2l6EAMyBwgAELEDEEMyBwgAELEDEEMyBAgAEEMyB
AgAEEMyAggAMgIIADICCAAyCAgAELEDEIMBMgIIADICCAA6BwgAELADEEM6BwgAEEcQsAM6CggAELE
DEIMBEEM6BQgAELEDOg4ILhCxAxCDARDHARCvAToHCC4QsQMQQzoKCC4QxwEQowIQCjoICC4QxwE
QrwE6BAguEAo6BwguELEDEAo6DQguELEDEMcBEKMCEEM6BQguELEDOgIILjoICC4QsQMQgwFQ4hBY_
mpg4HpoBnACeASAAcgBiAGXFJIBBjAuMTcuMZgBAKABAaoBB2d3cy13aXqwAQDIAQrAAQE&sclient=g
ws-wiz&ved=0ahUKEwioj534yObuAhUJG6YKHTXTC5gQ4dUDCA0&uact=5

Neogene

The Neogene (informally Upper Tertiary or Late Tertiary) is

a geologic period and system that spans 20.45 million years from
the end of the Paleogene Period 23.03 million years ago (Mya) to
the beginning of the present Quaternary Period 2.58 Mya.

The term "Neogene" was coined in 1853 by the Austrian

palaeontologist Moritz Hörnes (1815–1868). During this period,
mammals and birds continued to evolve into modern forms, while

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other groups of life remained relatively unchanged. Early
hominids, the ancestors of humans, appeared in Africa near the
end of the period. Some continental movement took place, the
most significant event being the connection of North and South
America at the Isthmus of Panama, late in the Pliocene. This cut
off the warm ocean currents from the Pacific to the Atlantic
Ocean, leaving only the Gulf Stream to transfer heat to the Arctic
Ocean. The global climate cooled considerably over the course
of the Neogene, culminating in a series of continental glaciations
in the Quaternary Period that follows.
(https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neogene)

The continents in the Neogene were very close to their current

positions. The Isthmus of Panama formed, connecting North and
South America. The Indian subcontinent continued to collide with
Asia, forming the Himalayas. Sea levels fell, creating land bridges
between Africa and Eurasia and between Eurasia and North
America. (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neogene)
The global climate became seasonal and continued an
overall drying and cooling trend which began at the start of
the Paleogene. The ice caps on both poles began to grow and
thicken, and by the end of the period the first of a series of
glaciations of the current Ice Age began. Marine and continental
flora and fauna have a modern appearance. The reptile group
Choristodera became extinct in the early part of the period, while
the amphibians known as Allocaudata disappeared at the end.
Mammals and birds continued to be the dominant terrestrial
vertebrates and took many forms as they adapted to various
habitats. The first hominins, the ancestors of humans, may have
appeared in southern Europe and migrated into Africa.
(https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neogene)
In response to the cooler, seasonal climate, tropical plant
species gave way to deciduous ones and grasslands replaced
many forests. Grasses therefore greatly diversified, and herbivorous
mammals evolved alongside it, creating the many grazing animals
of today such as horses, antelope, and bison. Eucalyptus fossil
leaves occur in the Miocene of New Zealand, where the genus is
not native today, but have been introduced from Australia.
(https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neogene)

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Paleogene
The Paleogene (informally Lower Tertiary or Early Tertiary) is
a geologic period and system that spans 43 million years from the
end of the Cretaceous Period 66 Mya to the beginning of
the Neogene Period 23.03 Mya.
The global climate during the Paleogene departed from the
hot and humid conditions of the late Mesozoic Era and began a
cooling and drying trend which, despite having been periodically
disrupted by warm periods such as the Paleocene–Eocene
Thermal Maximum, persisted until the temperature began to rise
again due to the end of the most recent glacial period of the
current ice age. The trend was partly caused by the formation of
the Antarctic Circumpolar Current, which significantly lowered
oceanic water temperatures. (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paleo
gene)
During the Paleogene, the continents continued
to drift closer to their current positions. India was in the process of
colliding with Asia, forming the Himalayas. The Atlantic
Ocean continued to widen by a few centimeters each year.
Africa was moving north to meet with Europe and form
the Mediterranean Sea, while South America was moving closer to
North America (they would later connect via the Isthmus of
Panama). Inland seas retreated from North America early in the
period. Australia had also separated from Antarctica and was
drifting toward Southeast Asia. (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pale
ogene)

Mammals began a rapid diversification during this period.

After the Cretaceous–Paleogene extinction event, which saw the
demise of the non-avian dinosaurs, mammals transformed from a
few small and generalized forms that began to evolve into most of
the modern varieties we see today. Some of these mammals
would evolve into large forms that would dominate the land, while
others would become capable of living in marine, specialized
terrestrial, and airborne environments. Those that took to the
oceans became modern cetaceans, while those that took to the

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trees became primates, the group to which humans belong. Birds,
which were already well established by the end of
the Cretaceous, also experienced adaptive radiation as they took
over the skies left empty by the now extinct pterosaurs.
(https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paleogene)
Pronounced cooling in the Oligocene led to a massive floral
shift and many extant modern plants arose during this
time. Grasses and herbs such as Artemisia began to appear at the
expense of tropical plants, which began to decline. Conifer forests
developed in mountainous areas. (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/P
aleogene)

3. The Mesozoic Era

The Mesozoic Era is the age of the dinosaurs and lasted

almost 180 million years from approximately 250 to 65 million years
ago. This era includes three well known periods called
the Triassic, Jurassic, and Cretaceous periods. It is also called
the Age of Reptiles and the Age of Conifers.
(https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mesozoic)

A mass extinction marked the beginning and end of the

Mesozoic Era. The event that caused the transition from the
Paleozoic Era to the Mesozoic Era was the greatest extinction this
earth has seen. This extinction wiped out about 95% of all marine
life and 70% of land life. This allowed the dinosaurs to step in and
settle into their role as the lords of the earth. The era ended with
"The Great Extinction" which marked the end of the dinosaurs as
the Cenozoic Era began.

At the beginning of the Mesozoic Era, the continents as we

know them were joined together as the massive mother
continent, Pangaea. It was during the age of the dinosaurs that
Pangaea was transformed to the modern
continents. Pangaea became two great continents known as
Laurasia and Gondwana and the Atlantic Ocean began to grow.
Laurasia eventually split into the continents of North America and
Eurasia. Gondwana became the modern continents of South
America, Africa, Australia, Antarctica, and the India subcontinent,

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which, after the Mesozoic Era, collided with Eurasia forming the
Himalayas. (Dinosaurs and other fossils. Jason Hamilton.
https://scienceviews.com/dinosaurs/mesozoic.html)

The environment was unusually warm and polar ice caps did
not yet exist. This played a large part in evolution and is a key
factor behind the flourishing of the dinosaurs. During the Triassic
period, the climate was generally dry, which changed near
the Jurassic Period as oceans began to rise due to mounting
layers of magma covering the seafloor. As a result, flooding
overtook many parts of the exposed land. This allowed the climate
to change with increased humidity and it continued that way
even into the Cretaceous Period. However, the climate began to
cool during the Cretaceous although temperatures may have
risen again near the end of the Mesozoic. (Dinosaurs and other
fossils. Jason Hamilton. https://scienceviews.com/dinosaurs/mesoz
oic.html)

The dominant land plant species of the time

were gymnosperms, which are vascular, cone-bearing, non-
flowering plants such as conifers that produce seeds without a
coating. This is opposed to the earth's current flora, in which the
dominant land plants in terms of number of species
are angiosperms. One particular plant genus, Ginkgo, is thought
to have evolved at this time and is represented today by a single
species, Ginkgo biloba. As well, the extant genus Sequoia is
believed to have evolved in the Mesozoic.
Flowering plants radiated during the early Cretaceous, first in
the tropics, but the even temperature gradient allowed them to
spread toward the poles throughout the period.
(https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mesozoic)

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Triassic Period

The Triassic Period, in geologic time, the first period of

the Mesozoic Era. It began 252 million years ago, at the close of
the Permian Period, and ended 201 million years ago, when it was
succeeded by the Jurassic Period.

Figure 5. Triassic Period animals.

google.com/search?q=triassic+period&tbm=isch&ved=2ahUKEwi62YOMuebuAhWLHaYKHVgND0QQ2c
CegQIABAA&oq=triassic&gs_lcp=CgNpbWcQARgAMgcIABCxAxBDMgQIABBDMgQIABBDMgIIADICCA
AyAggAMgIIADICCAAyAggAMgIIADoFCAAQsQNQ_P1AWPadQWDWskFoAHAAeAOAAbkEiAHOIpIBDD
AuMTIuMi4wLjEuNJgBAKABAaoBC2d3cy13aXotaW1nsAEAwAEB&sclient=img&ei=Mo4nYLr4GYu7mAXY
mrygBA&bih=754&biw=1536&rlz=1C1BNSD_enPH940PH940#imgrc=g5L4it14uGofCM

The Triassic Period marked the beginning of major changes

that were to take place throughout the Mesozoic Era, particularly
in the distribution of continents, the evolution of life, and the
geographic distribution of living things. At the beginning of the
Triassic, virtually all the major landmasses of the world were
collected into the supercontinent of Pangea. Terrestrial climates
were predominately warm and dry (though seasonal monsoons
occurred over large areas), and the Earth’s crust was relatively

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quiescent. At the end of the Triassic, however, plate tectonic
activity picked up, and a period of continental rifting began. On
the margins of the continents, shallow seas, which had dwindled
in area at the end of the Permian, became more extensive; as sea
levels gradually rose, the waters of continental shelves were
colonized for the first time by large marine reptiles and reef-
building corals of modern aspect.

The Triassic followed on the heels of the largest mass

extinction in the history of the Earth. This event occurred at the
end of the Permian, when 85% to 95% of marine invertebrate
species and 70% of terrestrial vertebrate genera died out. During
the recovery of life in the Triassic Period, the relative importance of
land animals grew. Reptiles increased in diversity and number,
and the first dinosaurs appeared, heralding the great radiation
that would characterize this group during the Jurassic and
Cretaceous periods. Finally, the end of the Triassic saw the
appearance of the first mammals—tiny, fur-bearing, shrewlike
animals derived from reptiles.
(https://www.britannica.com/science/Triassic-Period)

Another episode of mass extinction occurred at the end of

the Triassic. Though this event was less devastating than its
counterpart at the end of the Permian, it did result in drastic
reductions of some living populations—particularly of
the ammonoids, primitive mollusks that have served as
important index fossils for assigning relative ages to various strata
in the Triassic System of rocks.
(https://www.britannica.com/science/Triassic-Period)

Jurassic Period

The Jurassic Period ranges from 200 million years to 145

million years ago and features three major epochs: The Early
Jurassic, the Middle Jurassic, and the Late Jurassic.

The Early Jurassic spans from 200 to 175 million years ago. The
climate was tropical, much more humid than the Triassic. In the
oceans, plesiosaurs, ichthyosaurs, and ammonites were abundant.
On land, dinosaurs and other archosaurs staked their claim as the
dominant race, with theropods such as Dilophosaurus at the top

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of the food chain. The first true crocodiles evolved, pushing the
large amphibians to near extinction. All in all, archosaurs rose to
rule the world.

Figure 6. Jurassic Period dinosaurs.

Source: https://www.google.com/search?q=jurassic+period&tbm=isch&ved=2ahUKEwi
st_CLvebuAhVQAKYKHWJwBnMQ2-
cCegQIABAA&oq=jurassic+period&gs_lcp=CgNpbWcQAzIFCAAQsQMyAggAMgIIADI
CCAAyAggAMgIIADICCAAyAggAMgIIADICCAA6BggAEAcQHjoECAAQQzoHCAAQsQ
MQQ1CGkgdYqrEHYIqzB2gAcAB4AoAB2AOIAZIXkgEKMC4xMC4zLjIuMZgBAKABAaoBC
2d3cy13aXotaW1nwAEB&sclient=img&ei=Y5InYOz5M9CAmAXi4JmYBw&bih=754&biw=
1536&rlz=1C1BNSD_enPH940PH940#imgrc=XerZAeljnzLzuM&imgdii=w4By3Fz3m4B3KM

Meanwhile, the first true mammals evolved, remaining

relatively small but spreading widely; the Jurassic Castorocauda,
for example, had adaptations for swimming, digging and
catching fish. Fruitafossor, from the late Jurassic Period about 150
million years ago, was about the size of a chipmunk, and its teeth,
forelimbs, and back suggest that it dug open the nests of social
insects (probably termites, as ants had not yet appeared). The first
multituberculates like Rugosodon evolved, while volaticotherians
took to the skies.

The Middle Jurassic spans from 175 to 163 million years ago.
During this epoch, dinosaurs flourished as huge herds of
sauropods, such as Brachiosaurus and Diplodocus, filled the fern
prairies, chased by many new predators such as Allosaurus.
Conifer forests made up a large portion of the forests. In the

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oceans, plesiosaurs were quite common, and ichthyosaurs
flourished. This epoch was the peak of the reptiles.

The Late Jurassic spans from 163 to 145 million years ago.
During this epoch, the first avialans, like Archaeopteryx, evolved
from small coelurosaurian dinosaurs. The increase in sea levels
opened up the Atlantic seaway, which has grown continually
larger until today. The divided landmasses gave opportunity for
the diversification of new dinosaurs.
(https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mesozoic)

Cretaceous Period

The Cretaceous Period was the last and longest segment of

the Mesozoic Era. It lasted approximately 79 million years, from the
minor extinction event that closed the Jurassic Period about 145.5
million years ago to the Cretaceous-Paleogene (K-Pg) extinction
event dated at 65.5 million years ago.
(Mary Bagley, Cretaceous Period: Animals, Plants & Extinction
Event. LiveScience.com Jan 8, 2016.https://www.livescience.com/
29231-cretaceous-period.html)

One of the hallmarks of the Cretaceous Period was the

development and radiation of the flowering plants. The oldest
angiosperm fossil that has been found to date is Archaefructus
liaoningensis, found by Ge Sun and David Dilcher in China. It
seems to have been most similar to the modern black pepper
plant and is thought to be at least 122 million years old. It used to
be thought that the pollinating insects, such as bees and wasps,
evolved at about the same time as the angiosperms. It was
frequently cited as an example of co-evolution.
(https://www.livescience.com/29231-cretaceous-period.html)

The Cretaceous is usually noted for being the last portion of

the "Age of Dinosaurs", but that does not mean that new kinds of
dinosaurs did not appear then. It is during the Cretaceous that the
first ceratopsian and pachycepalosaurid dinosaurs appeared.
Also during this time, we find the first fossils of many insect groups,
modern mammal and bird groups, and the first flowering plants.

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 The breakup of the world continent Pangea, which began to
disperse during the Jurassic, continued. This led to increased
regional differences in floras and faunas between the northern
and southern continents.
The end of the Cretaceous brought the end of many
previously successful and diverse groups of organisms, such as
non-avian dinosaurs and ammonites. This laid open the stage for
those groups which had previously taken secondary roles to come
to the forefront. The Cretaceous was thus the time in which life as
it now exists on Earth came together.
(https://ucmp.berkeley.edu/mesozoic/cretaceous/cretaceous.ph
p)

No great extinction or burst of diversity separated the

Cretaceous from the Jurassic Period that had preceded it. In
some ways, things went on as they had. Dinosaurs both great and
small moved through forests of ferns, cycads, and conifers.
Ammonites, belemnites, other molluscs, and fish were hunted by
great "marine reptiles," and pterosaurs and birds flapped and
soared in the air above. Yet the Cretaceous saw the first
appearance of many life forms that would go on to play key roles
in the coming Cenozoic world.

Perhaps the most important of these events, at least for

terrestrial life, was the first appearance of the flowering plants, also
called the angiosperms or Anthophyta. First appearing in the
Lower Cretaceous around 125 million years ago, the flowering
plants first radiated in the middle Cretaceous, about 100 million
years ago. Early angiosperms did not develop shrub- or tree-like
morphologies, but by the close of the Cretaceous, a number of
forms had evolved that any modern botanist would recognize.
The angiosperms thrived in a variety of environments such as areas
with damper climates, habitats favored by cycads and
cycadeoids, and riparian zones. High southern latitudes were not
invaded by angiosperms until the end of the Cretaceous. Ferns
dominated open, dry and/or low-nutrient lands. Typical Jurassic
vegetation, including conifers, cycads, and other gymnosperms,
continued on into the Lower Cretaceous without significant
changes. At the beginning of this period, conifer diversity was fairly

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low in the higher latitudes of the Northern Hemisphere, but by the
middle of the period, species diversification was increasing
exponentially. Swamps were dominated by conifers and
angiosperm dicots.

At about the same time, many modern groups of insects

were beginning to diversify, and we find the oldest known ants
and butterflies. Aphids, grasshoppers, and gall wasps appear in
the Cretaceous, as well as termites and ants in the later part of this
period. Another important insect to evolve was the eusocial bee,
which was integral to the ecology and evolution of flowering
plants.
(https://ucmp.berkeley.edu/mesozoic/cretaceous/cretaceous.ph
p)

4. Paleozoic Life
The story of the earliest Paleozoic animals is one of life in the
sea. Presumably simple fungi and related forms existed in
freshwater environments, but the fossil record provides no
evidence of these modes of life. The terrestrial environment of the
early Paleozoic was barren of the simplest of life forms.

Figure 7. An early Silurian coral-stromatoporoid community.

From E. Winson in W.S. McKerrow (ed.), The Ecology of Fossils, Gerald Duckworth & Company Ltd

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 The Cambrian explosion was a sharp and sudden increase in
the rate of evolution. About 541 million years ago, at the onset of
the Cambrian Period, intense diversification resulted in more than
35 new animal phyla; however, new discoveries show that the
―explosion‖ started roughly 575 million years ago, near the end of
the Proterozoic Eon (2.5 billion to 541 million years ago), with
the Ediacara fauna. The biota rapidly diversified throughout the
Cambrian and Ordovician periods as life forms adapted to
virtually all marine environments. In numbers of described marine
species, fossils of trilobites dominate Cambrian rocks,
whereas brachiopods (lamp shells) predominate in strata from the
Ordovician through the Permian Period.

Several different kinds of organisms adapted independently

to life on land, primarily during the middle Paleozoic.
Leafless vascular plants (psilophytes) and invertebrate animals
(centipede-like arthropods) were both established on land at least
by Silurian time. Vertebrate animals made the transition to land via
the evolution of amphibians from air-breathing crossopterygian
fish during Devonian times. Further conquest of the land became
possible during the Carboniferous Period, when plants and
animals evolved solutions to overcome their dependence on
moist environments for reproduction: waterborne spores were
replaced by seeds in plants of seed fern origin, and shell-less eggs
were replaced by amniote eggs with protective shells in animals
of reptilian origin. Flight was first achieved also during the
Carboniferous Period as insects evolved wings.

Figure 8. Pennsylvanian coal forest diorama. The lone tree with horizontal grooves in the right
foreground is a jointed sphenopsid (Calamites); the large trees with scar patterns are lycopsids.
Courtesy of the Department Library Services, American Museum of Natural History, neg. #333983

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 The Permian extinction, at the end of the Paleozoic Era,
eliminated such major invertebrate groups as the blastoids (an
extinct group of echinoderms related to the modern starfish
and sea lilies), fusulinids, and trilobites. Other major groups, which
included the ammonoids, brachiopods, bryozoans (moss animals),
corals, and crinoids (cuplike echinoderms with five or more
feathery arms), were severely decimated but managed to survive.
It has been estimated that as many as 95% of the marine
invertebrate species perished during the late Permian Period.
Extinction rates were much lower among vertebrates, both
aquatic and terrestrial, and among plants. Causes of this
extinction event remain unclear, but they may be related to the
changing climate and exceptionally low sea levels of the time.
Although of lesser magnitude, other important Paleozoic mass
extinctions occurred at the end of the Ordovician Period and
during the late Devonian Period. (Crick, Rex. Paleozoic era.
https://www.britannica.com/science/Paleozoic-Era. Updated
January 19, 2021)

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PERFORMANCE TASK
Directions: Fill out the table according to what is required. Choose
from the choices below the periods being described and discuss
the major events. Write your answers in your notebook.
Periods: Triassic Silurian Permian
Cambrian Cretaceous Quarternary

ERA PERIOD LIFE FORMS MAJOR EVENTS

(Answer only the
numbered boxes)

2 9

10

11

12
5
13

14

6
15

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III. WHAT I HAVE LEARNED
POST-TEST
Directions: Read each item carefully and choose the letter that
best corresponds to your answer. Write your answers in your
notebook.
1. During which geologic period did the earth become oxygen
rich?
a. Orosirian Period
b. Ediacaran Period
c. Devonian Period
d. Ordovician Period

2. Which period did the first green plants and fungi appeared
on land?
a. Ediacaran Period
b. Devonian Period
c. Orosirian Period
d. Ordovician Period

3. During which period did the flowering plants first appeared?

a. Jurassic Period
b. Carboniferous Period
c. Cretaceous Period
d. Silurian

4. What is the present epoch in the Earth’s age?

a. Holocene
b. Miocene
c. Pleistocene
d. Pilocene

5. Which of the following is mainly characterized by the rise of

human civilization?
a. Holocene
b. Pleistocene
c. Pliocene
d. Miocene

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6. Which geologic period in the age of earth is also known as
the Age of Fish?
a. Orosirian Period
b. Devonian Period
c. Ediacaran Period
d. Ordovician Period

7. As per the latest radiometric dating, what is the age of the

earth?
a. 4 billion years
b. 4.54 billion years
c. 4.45 billion years
d. 4.64 billion years

8. During which period in the age of earth did terrestrial life was
well established?
a. Pleistocene Period
b. Jurassic Period
c. Carboniferous Period
d. Cretaceous

9. During which geologic period did the first birds and lizards
appeared on earth?
a. Jurassic Period
b. Carboniferous Period
c. Pleistocene Period
d. Cretaceous

10. Which period did angiosperm originated?

a. Upper cretaceous
b. Lower Jurassic
c. Mid cretaceous
d. Carboniferous

11. During evolution, when did the first multicellular organisms

appear?
a. 1 billion years ago
b. 2 bullion years ago
c. 600 million
d. 200 million

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 12. Which geologic period did the maximum diversity of
reptiles occur?
a. Jurassic
b. Ordovician
c. Triassic
d. Cretaceous

REFERENCES

Cenozoic era. Retrieved February 2, 2021 from

https://ucmp.berkeley.edu/cenozoic/cenozoic.php

Cenozoic period. Retrieved February 2, 2021 from

https://ucmp.berkeley.edu/cenozoic/cenozoic.php

Cretaceous period. Retrieved February 2, 2021 from

https://www.livescience.com/29231-cretaceous-period.html

Cretaceous Period. Retrieved Februaury 3, 2021 from

https://ucmp.berkeley.edu/mesozoic/cretaceous/cretaceo
us.php

Cretaceous Period: Animals, Plants & Extinction Event. Mary

Bagley. Retrieved February 4, 2021 from
https://www.livescience.com/29231-cretaceous-period.html

Crick, Rex. Paleozoic era. Retrieved February 1, 2021 from

https://www.britannica.com/science/Paleozoic-Era.
Updated January 19, 2021

David Doubilet and Jennifer Hayes.

https://www.nationalgeographic.com/science/prehistoric-
world/precambrian-time/

Dinosaurs and other fossils. Jason Hamilton. Retrieved February 4,

2021 from https://scienceviews.com/dinosaurs/mesozoic.html

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General Biology 2 Textbook for Senior High School. 1253 G.
Araneta Avenue, Quezon City: Vibal Group, Inc.

Mesozoic period. Retrieved February 4, 2021 from

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mesozoic

Neogene period. Retrieved February 3, 2021 from

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neogene

Paleogene period. Retrieved February 3, 2021 from

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paleogene

Precambrian Period. Retrieved January 28, 2021 from

https://www.britannica.com/science/Precambrian

Triassic period. Retrieved February 1, 2021 from

https://www.britannica.com/science/Triassic-Period

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 DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
SCHOOLS DIVISION OF NEGROS ORIENTAL

SENEN PRISCILLO P. PAULIN, CESO V

Schools Division Superintendent

JOELYZA M. ARCILLA EdD

OIC - Assistant Schools Division Superintendent

MARCELO K. PALISPIS EdD JD

OIC - Assistant Schools Division Superintendent

NILITA L. RAGAY EdD

OIC - Assistant Schools Division Superintendent / CID Chief

ROSELA R. ABIERA
Education Program Supervisor – (LRMS)

ARNOLD R. JUNGCO
PSDS – Division Science Coordinator

MARICEL S. RASID
Librarian II (LRMDS)

ELMAR L. CABRERA
PDO II (LRMDS)

NOVEM I. SARDON
Writer

IVANNE RAY A. GIDOR

Layout Artist

_________________________________
ALPHA QA TEAM

LIEZEL A. AGOR
MA. OFELIA I. BUSCATO
ANDRE ARIEL B. CADIVIDA
THOMAS JOGIE U. TOLEDO

BETA QA TEAM

LIEZEL A. BESAS
JOAN B. VALENCIA
LIELIN A. DE LA ZERNA
PETER PAUL A. PATRON
THOMAS JOGIE U. TOLEDO

DISCLAIMER

The information, activities and assessments used in this material are designed to provide
accessible learning modality to the teachers and learners of the Division of Negros Oriental. The
contents of this module are carefully researched, chosen, and evaluated to comply with the set
learning competencies. The writers and evaluator were clearly instructed to give credits to
information and illustrations used to substantiate this material. All content is subject to copyright
and may not be reproduced in any form without expressed written consent from the division.

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SYNOPSIS
This module talks about the
geologic time, the extensive interval of
time occupied by the geologic history
of Earth. Formal geologic time begins at
the start of the Archean Eon (4.0 to 2.5
billion years ago) and continues to the
present day. Modern geologic time
scales additionally often include the
Hadean Eon, which is an informal
interval that extends from about 4.6
billion years ago (corresponding to
Earth’s initial formation) to 4.0 billion
years ago. Geologic time is, in effect,
that segment of Earth history that is
represented by and recorded in the
planet’s rock strata. It subdivides all time
into named units of abstract time
called—in descending order of
duration—eons, eras, periods, epochs,
and ages. The relative geologic time
scale developed from the fossil record
has been numerically quantified by
means of absolute dates obtained with
radiometric dating methods.
.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

BERNADETTE NOVEM I. SARDON is a licensed

Professional Teacher. She is a graduate of University of
San Carlos with the degree of Bachelor of Science in
Biology. She is currently teaching at San Miguel
National High School as a Senior High teacher and at
the same time the Teacher-in-Charge of the same
school. She has earned units in Masters in Biology and
Master of Education major in Guidance and
Psychology.

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