Chapter 6 Changing Life in a Changing World

UPDATES FOR CHAPTER 6.

Chapter 6: images for lectures

NOTES AND LINKS FOR CHAPTER 6.

The Global Diversity Gradient

Global Tectonics and Global Diversity

Plate tectonics and past geography

Footnotes

Mass Extinctions

  • Bad hypothesis for the Ordovician extinction. ENN site, April 2005. This is a bunch of astronomers with an idea but no data, looking for something to explain. Why use some untestable idea from outer space when there are perfectly reasonable mechanisms here on Earth?

    The Permo-Triassic (P-T) Extinction

    A methane belch at the Permo-Triassic boundary. I've read this paper, (it is in Geology) and IMHO it is the bad paper of the decade (so far: and there are already many candidates). First, this is not a new idea: for example, my Davis colleagues Dan Dorritie and Gary Vermeij published a much cleaner methane hypothesis in Science several years ago. So, to start with, this is SHODDY scholarship, to put it mildly. Second, there is no justification for the claim that methane would be released practically instantaneously and would then explode. Third, if methane was involved in Noah's Flood, there should be a carbon isotope spike ‹ has the author looked for it (NO!). And fourth, whoever said (for the press release) that a single mammal swimming in the ocean could set off a methane disaster may well be unaware that there were NO mammals (count them) in the Permian, let alone swimming ones, and is likely influenced by the science FICTION idea that a butterfly flapping its wings can set off a hurricane. Who reviewed this??? Press release from Northwestern University, August 28, 2003.

    Recovery After Extinctions

    Extraterrestrial Impacts and Meteorite Craters

    Refernces for Chapter 6

    Page last updated April 7, 2013

    Links last checked September 12, 2012

    [For Chapter 5, click here ]

    [For Chapter 7, click here ]

    [Return to UC Davis Geology Department] Home Page]