Avalon explosion

The Avalon explosion, named from the Precambrian fauna of the Avalon Peninsula, is a proposed evolutionary radiation in the history of the Animalia, about 575 million years ago in the Ediacaran Period, with the Avalon explosion being one of three eras grouped in this time. This event is believed to have occurred some 33 million years earlier than the Cambrian explosion. Scientists are still unsure of the full extent behind the development of the Avalon explosion. The Avalon explosion resulted in a rapid increase in organism diversity. Many of the animals and plants from the Avalon are found living in deep marine environments and the Flinders Ranges. The first stages of the Avalon explosion were observed through comparatively minimal species. Charles Darwin predicted a time of ecological growth before the Cambrian Period, but there was no evidence to support it until the Avalon explosion was proposed in 2008 by Virginia Tech paleontologists after analysis of the morphological space change in several Ediacaran assemblages. The discovery suggests that the early evolution of animals may have involved more than one explosive event. The original analysis has been the subject of dispute in the literature. Trace fossils of these Avalon organisms have been found worldwide, with many found in Newfoundland, in Canada and the Charnwood Forest in England, representing the earliest known complex multicellular organisms. The Avalon explosion theoretically produced the Ediacaran biota. The biota largely disappeared contemporaneously with the rapid increase in biodiversity known as the Cambrian explosion. At this time, all living animal groups were present in the Cambrian oceans. The Avalon explosion appears similar to the Cambrian explosion in the rapid increase in diversity of morphologies in a relatively small-time frame, followed by diversification within the established body plans, a pattern similar to that observed in other evolutionary events. The Avalon explosion was a time of early evolution and low diversity in species.

About this result

This page is automatically generated and may contain information that is not correct, complete, up-to-date, or relevant to your search query. The same applies to every other page on this website. Please make sure to verify the information with EPFL's official sources.

Related concepts (7)

Related courses (1)

Related lectures (3)

HUM-216: Philosophy of biology

Identifier et comprendre les débats et problèmes centraux en philosophie de la biologie, notamment autour de l'évolution biologique et de l'émergence du vivant. Evaluer et comparer les arguments cruci

The cloudinids, an early metazoan family containing the genera Acuticocloudina, Cloudina and Conotubus, lived in the late Ediacaran period about 550 million years ago. and became extinct at the base of the Cambrian. They formed millimetre-scale conical fossils consisting of calcareous cones nested within one another; the appearance of the organism itself remains unknown. The name Cloudina honors the 20th-century geologist and paleontologist Preston Cloud.

The Ediacaran (ˌiːdiˈækərən; formerly Vendian) biota is a taxonomic period classification that consists of all life forms that were present on Earth during the Ediacaran Period ( 635–538.8 Mya). These were enigmatic tubular and frond-shaped, mostly sessile, organisms. Trace fossils of these organisms have been found worldwide, and represent the earliest known complex multicellular organisms. The term "Ediacara biota" has received criticism from some scientists due to its alleged inconsistency, arbitrary exclusion of certain fossils, and inability to be precisely defined.

The Precambrian (or Pre-Cambrian, sometimes abbreviated pꞒ, or Cryptozoic) is the earliest part of Earth's history, set before the current Phanerozoic Eon. The Precambrian is so named because it preceded the Cambrian, the first period of the Phanerozoic Eon, which is named after Cambria, the Latinised name for Wales, where rocks from this age were first studied. The Precambrian accounts for 88% of the Earth's geologic time. The Precambrian is an informal unit of geologic time, subdivided into three eons (Hadean, Archean, Proterozoic) of the geologic time scale.

Visual Intelligence: Introduction CS-503: Visual intelligence : machines and minds

Explores visual intelligence, evolution of vision and action, and the ecological approach to visual perception.

Probiotics and Postbiotics in Food Biotechnology ENG-436: Food biotechnology

Covers probiotics, postbiotics, their benefits, and applications in food biotechnology, emphasizing collaboration among stakeholders.

Biomineralization: Principles and Concepts

Covers the principles and concepts of biomineralization, including the types of biominerals, induced vs. controlled biomineralization, and its impact on the biosphere.