What is the difference between a mass extinction and a regular (background) extinction?

Question

(1 point)
• Mass extinction occurs over a long period of time.
• Mass extinction involves many species over a short period of geologic time.
• Mass extinction is ongoing and is a regular process that results from evolution.
• Mass extinction can be caused by ecological factors like climate change and loss of habitat.

Answer 1

The correct statement that highlights the difference between a mass extinction and a regular (background) extinction is:

• Mass extinction involves many species over a short period of geologic time.

This distinguishes mass extinctions, which impact a large number of species across diverse taxa in a relatively brief time frame, from background extinctions, which occur more gradually and tend to affect only a few species at a time due to normal evolutionary processes.