EPSC 233 Lecture Notes - Lecture 20: Protorothyrididae, Pelycosaur, Phanerozoic
6 Nov 2018
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Early trees provided protection from direct sunlight to early animals. New route for organic carbon to be produced and buried. Took over from co2 some of the role. Amniote egg enables vertebrates to colonize drier terrestrial habitats. The class amniota includes tetrapods that gave rise to reptiles, birds and mammals, and their descendants. Preventing desication and removing the need to lay eggs in the water. Carnivores were well adapted to the top of the food chain. Unique fins were an early adaptation to self regulation of body temperature, but still remained cold-blooded. Siberia colliding with baltica and godnwana colliding with laurasia. Related to spread of large vascular land plants. Combination of co2 sequestration through the formation of these peat and coal, and an increase in silicate weathering due to the formation of organic acids by these new vascular plants, drove co2 to its lowest levels. High carbon burial rates balanced by high o2 levels.
