Carboniferous

Carboniferous

Carboniferous (pronunciation: /ˌkɑːrbəˈnɪfərəs/) is a geologic period and system that spans 60 million years from the end of the Devonian Period 358.9 million years ago (Mya), to the beginning of the Permian Period, 298.9 Mya. The name Carboniferous means "coal-bearing" and derives from the Latin words carbo (coal) and fero (I carry).

Etymology

The term "Carboniferous" is derived from the Latin Carbo meaning "coal" and fero meaning "I carry". This term was coined in the early 19th century to describe the rich deposits of coal found in the rocks of this period.

Overview

The Carboniferous Period is famous for its vast swamp landscapes, which eventually turned into the coal deposits that fuelled the Industrial Revolution. During this period, the Earth experienced a series of ice ages, and the first amniotes (reptiles and their kin) appeared.

Subdivisions

The Carboniferous Period is usually broken into Mississippian (early) and Pennsylvanian (late) epochs or subperiods. The Mississippian is characterized by shallow seas and the evolution of the first true amphibians. The Pennsylvanian is characterized by the development of vast swamp forests and the first true reptiles.

Flora and Fauna

The Carboniferous was a time of diverse marine invertebrates and terrestrial plant life. The dominant land vertebrates were amphibians and arthropods, the latter having reached their greatest diversity of the Paleozoic during this time.

Climate

The Carboniferous was a time of active mountain-building as the supercontinent Pangaea came together. The southern continents remained tied together in the supercontinent Gondwana, which collided with North America–Europe (Laurussia) along the present line of eastern North America. This continental collision resulted in the Hercynian orogeny in Europe, and the Alleghenian orogeny in North America.

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