Question

What event may have triggered the mass extinction at the end of the Permian period?


changes in Earth’s orbit


heightened solar activity


climatic change


meteorite strike

Answer 1

The event that is most commonly associated with triggering the mass extinction at the end of the Permian period is **climatic change**. This period saw significant alterations in climate, including extreme temperature fluctuations and changes in sea levels, which may have been influenced by volcanic activity associated with the Siberian Traps. These volcanic eruptions likely released large amounts of greenhouse gases, leading to severe global warming and ocean acidification, which contributed to the extinction of many species. While other factors like meteorite strikes have been proposed for different extinction events, climatic change is strongly linked to the Permian-Triassic extinction event.