Cambrian explosion
E74002
The Cambrian explosion was a relatively brief period around 541 million years ago when most major animal groups rapidly appeared in the fossil record, dramatically increasing the complexity and diversity of life on Earth.
Observed surface forms (1)
| Surface form | Occurrences |
|---|---|
| Cambrian Explosion | 1 |
Statements (52)
| Predicate | Object |
|---|---|
| instanceOf |
biological radiation
ⓘ
event in Earth history ⓘ evolutionary event ⓘ paleontological phenomenon ⓘ |
| endTime | approximately 530 million years ago ⓘ |
| followedBy | continued diversification in the Ordovician radiation ⓘ |
| follows |
Ediacaran biota
ⓘ
Ediacaran Period ⓘ
surface form:
Ediacaran period
|
| hasCause |
breakup of supercontinents and habitat diversification
ⓘ
changes in ocean chemistry ⓘ ecological feedbacks such as predator–prey arms races ⓘ evolution of Hox genes ⓘ evolution of developmental gene networks ⓘ post-glacial environmental changes after Neoproterozoic glaciations ⓘ rise in atmospheric oxygen levels ⓘ |
| hasEffect |
appearance of most major animal phyla in the fossil record
ⓘ
bioturbation of seafloor sediments ⓘ evolution of burrowing behaviors ⓘ evolution of defensive adaptations ⓘ expansion of marine ecosystems ⓘ increase in biodiversity ⓘ increase in ecological complexity ⓘ increase in morphological complexity ⓘ increase in predation ⓘ origin of complex food webs ⓘ proliferation of hard-bodied organisms ⓘ rapid diversification of animal life ⓘ widespread biomineralization ⓘ |
| hasEvidence |
Burgess Shale fossil lagerstätte
ⓘ
Cambrian biota ⓘ
surface form:
Chengjiang biota
Sirius Passet fauna ⓘ small shelly fossils ⓘ trace fossils indicating complex behavior ⓘ |
| involves |
annelids
ⓘ
arthropods ⓘ early chordates ⓘ echinoderms ⓘ molluscs ⓘ various extinct animal phyla ⓘ |
| locatedInTime |
Paleozoic Era
ⓘ
surface form:
Paleozoic era
Phanerozoic Eon ⓘ
surface form:
Phanerozoic eon
|
| occursIn | marine environments ⓘ |
| partOf |
Cambrian Period
ⓘ
surface form:
Cambrian period
|
| precededBy |
Ediacaran biota
ⓘ
surface form:
Ediacaran soft-bodied communities
long Precambrian history of life ⓘ |
| significance |
defines the base of the Cambrian period in the geologic time scale
ⓘ
marks the first appearance of complex animal-dominated ecosystems ⓘ |
| startTime | approximately 541 million years ago ⓘ |
| studiedIn |
evolutionary biology
ⓘ
geology ⓘ paleontology ⓘ stratigraphy ⓘ |
Referenced by (5)
Full triples — surface form annotated when it differs from this entity's canonical label.
this entity surface form:
Cambrian Explosion