Pleistocene epoch
E32799
The Pleistocene epoch was a geological time period characterized by repeated ice ages, widespread glaciation, and the evolution and global spread of modern humans.
Aliases (10)
Statements (50)
| Predicate | Object |
|---|---|
| instanceOf |
geological epoch
→
subdivision of the geologic time scale → |
| associatedWith |
development of human hunting and gathering
→
evolution of many modern mammal genera → expansion of grasslands → loess deposition in mid-latitudes → spread of steppe and tundra biomes → |
| characterizedBy |
expansion of polar ice caps
→
growth and decay of mountain glaciers → large ice sheets in the Northern Hemisphere → repeated glacial cycles → sea-level fluctuations → widespread continental glaciation → |
| climate |
alternating glacial and interglacial periods
→
generally cooler than present → |
| contains |
multiple glacial stages
→
multiple interglacial stages → |
| definedBy |
International Commission on Stratigraphy
→
|
| duration |
approximately 2.57 million years
→
|
| endDefinedBy |
end of the last glacial period
→
onset of Holocene warming → |
| endTime |
about 11,700 years ago
→
|
| followedBy |
Holocene epoch
→
|
| follows |
Pliocene epoch
→
|
| geochronologicUnitOf |
Quaternary glaciation
→
|
| majorEvent |
Denisovan presence in Eurasia
→
Late Pleistocene megafaunal extinctions → Neanderthal evolution and extinction → appearance of Homo erectus outside Africa → appearance of Homo heidelbergensis → appearance of Homo neanderthalensis → appearance of Homo sapiens in Africa → development of stone tool technologies → diversification of the genus Homo → evolution of anatomically modern humans → extinction of many large mammals → global dispersal of Homo sapiens → |
| notableGlaciation |
Fennoscandian Ice Sheet in northern Europe
→
Laurentide Ice Sheet in North America → Patagonian Ice Sheet in South America → |
| partOf |
Cenozoic era
→
Phanerozoic eon → Quaternary period → |
| precededBy |
Neogene period in a broader sense
→
|
| rockUnitEquivalent |
Pleistocene series
→
|
| startTime |
about 2.58 million years ago
→
|
| stratotypeRegion |
Calabrian and related sections in Italy
→
|
| subdividedInto |
Early Pleistocene
→
Late Pleistocene → Middle Pleistocene → |