Quaternary

Quaternary refers to a period of time in Earth’s geologic history that began 2,588,000 years ago and continues to the current day. Several periods of glaciation (often referred to as “ice ages”) have occurred during the Quaternary, with ice sheets covering significant parts of the continents in temperate places. Rapid changes in climate and sea level happened during and between these glacial periods, affecting habitats all across the world. As a result of these changes, both flora and fauna have experienced rapid alterations. They were responsible for the rise of modern humans beginning around 200,000 years ago.

Quaternary Geology

The Quaternary is divided into two epochs: the Pleistocene, which lasted from roughly 11,700 years ago to the present day and the Holocene, which lasted from about 11,700 years ago to the present day. The Quaternary Period was a time of remarkable changes in the worldwide environment, as well as a period during which most of human evolution took place. Many major climate changes occurred throughout the Quaternary Period, affecting food resources and leading to the extinction of many species. During this time period, a new predator known as man emerged.

Climate Changes Throughout the Quaternary Period

More than 60 phases of glacial expansion, interspersed with briefer intervals of milder temperatures, have been documented by scientists from throughout the world. Because at least one permanent ice sheet, Antarctica, existed during the Quaternary Period, the entire Quaternary Period is referred to as an ice age. However, research shows that the Pleistocene Epoch was far drier and colder than now. Glacial advances varied by continent, but about 22,000 years ago, glaciers covered about 30% of the earth’s surface. Huge grasslands known as “mammoth steppes” existed in what is now Europe and North America, and they had a higher productivity rate and biomass than present grassland.

The grasses were extremely dense and nutritious. Winter snow cover, on the other hand, was fairly thin.

Geological Time Scale

Geologic time refers to the long period of time that Earth’s geologic history covers. Formal geologic time runs from the beginning of the Archean Eon (4.0 billion to 2.5 billion years ago) to the present. The Hadean Eon, which runs from roughly 4.6 billion years ago (corresponding to Earth’s beginning formation) to 4.0 billion years ago, is frequently included in modern geologic time scales. In effect, geologic time is the period of Earth history depicted and documented in the planet’s rock strata.

The “calendar” for events in Earth history is the geologic time scale. It divides all time into designated abstract time units termed aeons, eras, periods, epochs, and ages, in descending order of duration. To count those geologic time units, stratigraphy, or the correlation and classification of rock strata is used. The timing of the emergence and disappearance of widespread species from the fossil record, on the other hand, provides the primary means of establishing a geologic time scale, with the beginnings and endings of ages, epochs, periods, and other intervals being delineated by the timing of the emergence and disappearance of widespread species from the fossil record.

• The International Chronostratigraphic Chart, maintained by the International Commission on Stratigraphy, is one of the most extensively used standard charts depicting the links between distinct intervals of geologic time

Because they have undergone evolutionary changes over geologic time, living things play a key role in the creation of geologic time scales. Furthermore, specific types of species are found in specific parts of the geologic record. The geologic history of distinct regions and of the entire Earth can be reconstructed by correlating the strata in which certain types of fossils are found. Absolute dates acquired with radiometric dating technologies have been used to mathematically quantify the relative geologic time scale created from the fossil record.

International Commission on Stratigraphy

The International Commission on Stratigraphy (ICS) is the largest and oldest of the International Union of Geological Sciences’ constituent scientific bodies (IUGS). Its main goal is to precisely define global units (systems, series, and stages) of the International Chronostratigraphic Chart, which serve as the foundation for the units (periods, epochs, and age) of the International Geologic Time Scale, thereby establishing global standards for the fundamental scale for expressing Earth’s history. The International Chronostratigraphic Chart, Global Stratotype Section and Point (GSSP),Ordovician Chronostratigraphic Chart, Ordovician Carbon Chart, International Chronostratigraphic Chart, Global Chronostratigraphical Correlation Table over the Last 2.7 Million Years Isotope Curve, Permian Time Scale have all been produced by the ICS in recent decades.

Through active community leadership, collaboration, education, and the development and promotion of geoscience information standards and best practice, the Commission for the Management and Application of Geoscience Information (CGI) also plays a critical role in the interoperability and exchange of geoscience information.

Conclusion

We can conclude that the Quaternary Period is famous for the many cycles of glacial growth and retreat, the extinction of many species of large mammals and birds, and the spread of humans.The tale of the Quaternary, the last 2.6 million years of Earth’s history, is told via climate change and the advances it causes. Glaciers approach from the poles and retreat with each pulse, slicing and sculpting the terrain. Sea levels rise and fall with each phase of freezing and thawing. The purpose of this article is to give some knowledge about Quaternary.