the

cenozoic
era
(tertiary
period)
Sara B. Gutierrez
 topic overview
01 03
Introduction CLIMATE AND GEOLOGY
What is Cenozoic Era? Tertiary period climate and geological
events

02 04
OVERVIEW Epochs
What happened in Tertiary period? Tertiary period epochs and major events
 what is Cenozoic era?
The Cenozoic Era had been traditionally divided either into
the Tertiary and Quaternary (“third” and “fourth”) periods or
into the Paleogene and Neogene (“old”- and “new”-“birth”)
periods. In 2009, the International Union of Geological
Sciences (IUGS) formally adopted a three-fold division—
Paleogene, Neogene, and Quaternary.

The Cenozoic Era spans the interval from 66 million years ago
to the present. It is divided into the Paleogene Period (66–23
million years ago) and the Neogene Period (23 million years
ago to present). The Paleogene is further subdivided into the
Paleocene, Eocene, and Oligocene epochs, while the Neogene
consists of the Miocene, Pliocene, Pleistocene, and Holocene
epochs. Some time scales still use the archaic term “Tertiary”
for the Paleocene through Pliocene and the Quaternary for
the Pleistocene and Holocene.
CENOZOIC ERA OUTLINE
 tertiary period
The tertiary period ( also referred to as the Paleogene and Neogene
periods) represents the first geological period in the Cenozoic era. The
tertiary geological period lasted from approximately 66 million to 2.6
million years ago. Italian geologist Giovanni Arduino in 1760 introduced
the name “Tertiary”. This geological period began with the death of
non-avian dinosaurs (any dinosaurs that are not birds) in the
Cretaceous–Paleogene extinction event, at the start of the Cenozoic Era,
and extended to Quaternary glaciation at the end of the Pliocene
Epoch. The dates have been further adjusted as Science advances when
new evidence is found.
 what happened in the
tertiary period?
During the Paleogene and Neogene periods, mammals diversified and spread
across Earth. Hence, the Cenozoic Era (from the Greek kainos meaning "new", and
zoe meaning "life", "animal") is also known as "the age of mammals". Angiosperms
also first appeared.
 what happened in the
tertiary period?

It began 65 million years ago and ended 1.8 million years ago, spanning a total
interval of 63.2 million years, though this periodization has been reformulated in
the present time.
The climate was changing, alternating warm periods with glacial periods.
Earth's major mountain ranges formed during this period.
 what happened in the
tertiary period?

The hominization process began with the emergence of the first primates
considered ancestors of the human species. The first apes or primate-like species
emerged during the Tertiary, particularly in the Eocene Epoch. Various families
appeared: Tarsiidae (in Europe and North Africa), Adapidae (in North America
and Europe), and Omomyidae (in North America, Europe, Egypt, and Asia). The
Asian species were particularly important for human evolution, as they were the
possible ancestors of modern monkeys and apes.
TARSIIDAE ADAPIDAE OMOMYIDAE
 what happened in the
tertiary period?
Later in time, during the Miocene, the first ape with humanoid traits appeared
around 20 million years ago: the Morotopithecus bishopi, in Lake Victoria, Africa.
In the Pliocene, these species would have given rise to the first species of
Australopithecus, among which are the very ancestors of humans.

Morotopithecus bishopi Australopithecus

 tertiary period geology
Both the Paleogene and Neogene were times of enormous geological and oceanographic
changes. In the first place, the breakup of the single supercontinent Pangea was completed, a
process that had begun 100 million years before, particularly with the separation of its
southern part, known as Gondwana. In turn, the Atlantic Ocean expanded, and North America
and South America came together, leading to the formation of Central America.
 Another important geological event during the Tertiary was the collision between the Indian
and Eurasian plates 50 million years ago, which caused the formation of the Himalayas, the
highest mountain range on the planet. In addition, the collision between the African and
Eurasian plates caused the Thetis Sea to completely close. As a result of this process, the Alps
were formed.
Finally, due to the thrust between the South American and North American plates with the
Nazca and Pacific plates, the Andes Mountains formed, extending north-south across the
Americas.
 tertiary period climate
The course of what was formerly understood as the Tertiary Period experienced a major
climate transition from the warm, humid conditions of earlier times to a more temperate
climate, such as we know it today. Extensive periods of extremely low temperatures known as
"glaciations" or "ice ages" dramatically impacted plant and animal life on Earth.

The cooling of the planet began in the wake of the Paleocene-Eocene Thermal Maximum, a
time period during the Cenozoic when temperatures reached their highest point in the entire
era. This was due to immense amounts of greenhouse gases thrown into the atmosphere over
the course of 200,000 years, likely caused by massive volcanic eruptions.
 tertiary period climate

The temperature rise fluctuated until the end of the Eocene, gradually
declining over the Oligocene. The latter period saw the beginning of
the glaciation at the poles, which caused their nearly tropical climate to
turn into the arid, frozen tundra we know today. By the end of the
Miocene, the polar ice caps had fully formed.
 tertiary period epochs
The first epoch of the tertiary period lasted from 65 to 55.8 million years
paleocene epoch ago. It marked the beginning of the Cenozoic era and the tertiary
period.
The second epoch of the tertiary period that lasted from about 55.8 to
eocene epoch
33.9 million years ago.

The third epoch of the tertiary period that lasted from about 33.9 to 23
oligocene epoch
million years ago.

The fourth epoch of the tertiary period that lasted from about 23 to 5.3
miocene epoch
million years ago.

The fifth epoch of the tertiary period that lasted from about 5.3 to 2.6
pliocene epoch million years ago.
PALEOCENE EPOCH
The “old recent”, is a geologic epoch
that lasted from about 66 to 56 million
years ago. It is the first epoch of the
Palaeogene Period in the modern
Cenozoic Era. As with many geologic
periods, the strata that define the
epoch’s beginning and end are well-
identified, but the exact ages remain
uncertain.
 paleocene epoch major
events
The beginning of the Paleogene Period was very warm and moist compared
to today’s climate. Much of the earth was tropical or sub-tropical. Palm trees
climate:
grew as far north as Greenland! By the end of the Paleogene, during the
Oligocene Epoch, the climate began to cool.

Europe and North America are joined together

geographic Australia is joined with Antarctica
India is not yet connected with Asia
events:
The Atlantic Ocean is small because South America and Africa have just
separated
FAUNA: There were small herbivores during this epoch. There were five-toed
hoofed animals that rapidly increased in number by the mid-Paleocene.
Tarsiers and tree shrews (Prosimian primates) also thrived. Some common
animals that lived in abundance during this time are RODENTS, PRIMATES,
and CONDYLARTHS (ancestors of modern hoofed herbivores).

In the oceans, most reptiles vanished, turtles and crocodilians being

exceptions. Sharks and teleost fish become more common, and bony fishes
dominate the seas as they will continue to do to the present day. Among
invertebrates more modern forms of gastropods and bivalves,
foraminiferans and echinoids appear.
 The terror Birds were huge predators that roamed the forests and plains of
FAUNA: the Paleogene. They belonged to the family called Phorusrhacids. They
could be as much as 10 feet tall! There were many species most of them
originated in South America. Later in the Neogene some of them migrated
to North America once the Americas were connected at Panama. Large
mammal predators had not yet evolved early in the Paleogene so there was
little competition and the big birds dominated.
 Ferns were initially abundant following the K-T extinction, but flowering
FLORA plants and conifers soon took over as they returned to abundance.
Deciduous trees dominated swamp forests in North America from middle
latitudes to the Arctic Ocean. Grasses, an immensely important group in
later epoch ecologies, originated early in the Paleogene. Insect herbivory
finally recovered from the K-T extinction event in the late Paleogene, nine
million years after the event.

Palms (Arecaceae) Alnus (alders) Fagaceae (beech family) Taxodiaceae (redwoods and
sequoias)
 EOCENE EPOCH
The name Eocene is derived
from the Greek eos, for “dawn,”
referring to the appearance
and diversification of many
modern groups of organisms,
especially mammals and
mollusks.
 Eocene epoch major
events
The Eocene is often referred to as a period of "greenhouse" climate due to
the high levels of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. Carbon dioxide (CO2)
climate:
levels were much higher during this time compared to today, contributing to
the warmth of the climate. Global average temperatures during the early
Eocene were estimated to be about 10-15°C (18-27°F) warmer than today.

geographic North America and Europe separate

events: Africa is now an island continent
 The first odd-toed mammals (perissodactyls, such as rhinos and horses)
FAUNA: and even-toed mammals (artiodactyls such as camels) were present at the
beginning of the epoch. The first marine mammals, including the first
whales, appear in the seas, and the first primates appear on land. Large
mammals make their first appearance on land, then die off by the end of
the epoch. Carnivores include the first members of the dog, weasel, bear,
and cat families. Most modern orders of birds had appeared by the Eocene

Rhino Camels Whales

 The Eocene Epoch marks the first appearance in the fossil record of the
FAUNA: two completely marine mammal groups, the cetaceans (whales, porpoises,
and dolphins) and the sirenians (akin to the modern manatees and
dugongs). Similarly, the Eocene provides the first elephant-like animals
and the early bats. In addition, gastropods (a class of mollusks containing
snails, slugs, and limpets) underwent great diversification, and many bird
orders that were in essence modern appeared during the Eocene.
 Palm trees grew in Alaska and Spitzbergen Island and crocodilians lived
FLORA above the Arctic Circle. Many new grasses evolve. However, grasslands had
yet to develop and herbivorous mammals were browsers, feeding on leaves
and herbs rather than grass. Trees belonging to the family Sapotaceae,
commonly known as umbrella trees, were prevalent during the Eocene.
They typically had large, umbrella-shaped canopies and produced edible
fruits.
OLIGOCENE EPOCH
The term Oligocene is derived
from Greek and means the
“epoch of few recent forms,”
referring to the sparseness of
the number of modern animals
that originated during that
time.
 OLIGOCENE MAJOR
EVENTS
The Oligocene was a period of gradual cooling, marking a transition from the
warmer conditions of the Eocene to cooler temperatures. This cooling trend
climate:
continued from the late Eocene into the early Oligocene and persisted
throughout much of the epoch. As the Oligocene progressed, ice caps began
to develop at the poles, particularly in Antarctica. This marked the start of the
expansion of polar ice sheets, which played a significant role in shaping
global climate patterns.

Australia separates from Antarctica

geographic India crashes into Asia creating the Himalayan Mountains
Antarctica is covered by glaciers
events:
Sea levels are low
 Oreodonts were very common in North America along with three toed
FAUNA: horses and a variety of rhinoceros species. The giant Indricothere, a
type of rhinoceros the size of a medium sauropod and the largest
land mammal ever, lived in central Asia. The anthropoid apes
appeared during this epoch. South America, isolated for a few million
years, evolved a distinct fauna including giant carnivorous birds and
predatory marsupials. Both cats and dogs were represented among
carnivores, including saber tooth cats. In the ocean, both seals and
sea lions appear late in this epoch. The two suborders of whales alive
today, the toothed and baleen whales evolved. Invertebrates
continued to look more modern, while coral reefs spread in the
southern hemisphere as far as New Zealand.
 The global cooling that eventually leads to later ice ages begins during this
FLORA epoch. Forests begin to shrink and grasslands expand at the expense of
forests. Oligocene climates appear to have been temperate, and many
regions enjoyed subtropical climatic conditions. Grasslands expanded and
forested regions dwindled during this time, while tropical vegetation
flourished along the borders of the Tethyan Sea. Warm, swampy conditions
prevailed over much of what is now Germany, and extensive deposits of
lignite coal were formed.
 MIOCENE EPOCH
The first geological epoch of the
Neogene Period and extends from
about 23.03 to 5.333 million years
ago(Ma). The Miocene was named by
Sir Charles Lyell. Its name comes from
the Greek words μείων (meiōn, “less”)
and καινός(kainos, “new”) and means
“less recent” because it has 18% fewer
modern sea invertebrates than the
Pliocene.
 mioCENE MAJOR EVENTS
Often described as having a relatively moderate climate, with reduced
temperature gradients between the equator and the poles compared to
climate:
earlier epochs. This led to a more uniform distribution of temperature across
latitudes. While the early Miocene was warm, the climate gradually cooled
over time. Towards the middle and late Miocene, ice caps began to develop at
the poles, particularly in Antarctica. This marked the transition from the
warmer conditions of the early Miocene to cooler climates.

The once great Tethys Ocean was reduced to the Mediterranean Sea and
geographic closed at both ends, bringing the circumglobal circulation of warm waters to
events: an end.
The collision of Africa with Eurasia during the Miocene resulted in the
formation of the Mediterranean Sea—this process is known as the Messinian
Salinity Crisis.
 Horses moved from browsing in forests and meadows to grazing (eating
FAUNA: grass) in grasslands. Otters and other animals evolved to live in this unique
ecosystem. The dugong, a marine mammal related to the elephant and
modern manatees, lived in large numbers in the Miocene kelp forests.

Modern versions of these animals still feed on the plants in the Great Barrier Reef off the Australian
coast. Ocean circulations changed to form large gyres (circular patterns) in both the Northern and
Southern hemispheres. The new circulation patterns in turn lead to the evolution and spread of
diverse marine mammals, including toothed and baleen whales, sea lions, seals, walruses, and sea
cows. Non-mammalian predators included marine crocodiles and the largest known shark,
Carcharodon megalodon. Aquatic invertebrates were similar to today half of the species are
unchanged.
 FLORA Grasslands expanded and became more widespread during the
Miocene, particularly in response to drier conditions and the spread of
savanna-like environments. Grasses (Poaceae) diversified and became
important components of terrestrial ecosystems, leading to the
development of open woodlands and grassy plains.

The cooling climate and increased seasonality during the Miocene favored the spread of
deciduous trees in many regions. Deciduous species such as oaks (Quercus), maples (Acer),
beeches (Fagus), and birches (Betula) became more common, especially in temperate and
subtropical areas.

In the oceans, the first known kelp forests appeared. Kelp is a form of large brown algae. Kelp
forests grew in cool waters where the plant could attach to rocks and coral.
 pliocene EPOCH
The Pliocene was named by Sir
Charles Lyell. The name comes from
the Greek words πλεῖον (pleion,
“more”) and καινός (kainos, “new”)
and means roughly “continuation of
the recent”, referring to the essentially
modern marine mollusc faunas.
 mioCENE MAJOR EVENTS
The Pliocene was characterized by relatively warm global temperatures, with
conditions warmer than those of the present-day. Global average
climate:
temperatures during the early to mid-Pliocene are estimated to have been 2-
3°C (3.6-5.4°F) higher than pre-industrial levels. While the Pliocene climate
was warmer overall, there were still variations in temperature across
latitudes, with reduced climate gradients compared to today. This led to a
more uniform distribution of temperature and climate patterns globally.

Formation of the Isthmus of Panama, connecting North and South America.

geographic This land bridge emerged as a result of tectonic activity, altering ocean
events: circulation patterns and facilitating the exchange of flora and fauna
between the two continents known as the “Great American Faunal
Interchange.”
 Giant ground sloths, armadillos, and marsupials among others came north,
FAUNA: while cats, dogs, bears, camels, and others went south. Many of the South
American species were replaced by northern species and eventually went
extinct. Bringing the two continents together also stopped the exchange
between the Caribbean and the Pacific allowing these faunal provinces to
evolve apart.

In Africa, early hominids appear for the first time in the fossil record. Famous hominid fossils such as
"Lucy" a female Australopithecus aferensis and footprints from a pair of hominids alive 3Ma have
been found in Pliocene deposits in Africa. Marine and freshwater aquatic Pliocene fossils are now
numerous around the globe.
 Deciduous forests dominated much of the temperate regions during the
FLORA Pliocene, especially in areas with seasonal climates. Species such as oaks
(Quercus), maples (Acer), beeches (Fagus), and hickories (Carya) were
common components of these forests.
Grasslands expanded and became more widespread during the Pliocene, particularly in
response to drier conditions in some regions. C4 grasses, which are more efficient at
photosynthesis under warm and dry conditions, became increasingly important, leading to the
development of open grasslands and savannas.
Thank You
For
Listening
 Resources Page
https://www.fossils-facts-and-finds.com/neogene_period.html

https://natmus.humboldt.edu/exhibits/life-through-time/visual-timeline/neogene-period

https://a-z-animals.com/blog/paleogene-period-animals-when-it-happened-and-major-events/

https://www.geologypage.com/2014/05/pliocene-epoch.html