The Cenozoic Era is also known as the Age of Mammals because the extinction of many groups of giant mammals, allowing smaller species to thrive and diversify because their predators no longer existed. Due to the large span of time covered by the period, it is beneficial to discuss the animal population by the milestone of the era rather than in generalities.
The beginning of the Paleogene Period was a time for the mammals that survived from the Cretaceous Period. Later in this period, rodents and small horses, such as Hyracotherium, are common and rhinoceroses and elephants appear. As the period ends, dogs, cats and pigs become commonplace. Other than a few birds that were classified as dinosaurs, most notable the Titanis, the dinosaurs were gone. Large flightless birds, such as the Diatryma, thrived.
The Neogene Period gives rise to early primates, including early humans. Bovids, including cattle, sheep, goats, antelope and gazelle, flourish during this period.
Cave lions, sabre-toothed cats, cave bears, giant deer, woolly rhinoceroses, and woolly mammoths were prevailing species of the Quaternary Period.
Without the dinosaurs, plant life had an opportunity to flourish during the Cenozoic Era. Nearly every plant living today had its roots in the Cenozoic Era. During the early part of the era, forests overran most of North America. However, as the climate cooled forests died off, creating open land.
Due to the widening of the oceans,sharks, whales and other marine life proliferated. The Great Lakes that formed in the western United States during the Eocene Epoch were the perfect home for bass, trout and other fresh-water species.
As the forests thinned, grasses began to spread out over the plains of North America and savannas covered the land in the middle of the continent. Among the common plant life were pines, mosses, oaks and grasses. Flowering plants and edible crops dominate the landscape in the later part of this era as humans cultivate the land
The beginning of the Paleogene Period was a time for the mammals that survived from the Cretaceous Period. Later in this period, rodents and small horses, such as Hyracotherium, are common and rhinoceroses and elephants appear. As the period ends, dogs, cats and pigs become commonplace. Other than a few birds that were classified as dinosaurs, most notable the Titanis, the dinosaurs were gone. Large flightless birds, such as the Diatryma, thrived.
The Neogene Period gives rise to early primates, including early humans. Bovids, including cattle, sheep, goats, antelope and gazelle, flourish during this period.
Cave lions, sabre-toothed cats, cave bears, giant deer, woolly rhinoceroses, and woolly mammoths were prevailing species of the Quaternary Period.
Without the dinosaurs, plant life had an opportunity to flourish during the Cenozoic Era. Nearly every plant living today had its roots in the Cenozoic Era. During the early part of the era, forests overran most of North America. However, as the climate cooled forests died off, creating open land.
Due to the widening of the oceans,sharks, whales and other marine life proliferated. The Great Lakes that formed in the western United States during the Eocene Epoch were the perfect home for bass, trout and other fresh-water species.
As the forests thinned, grasses began to spread out over the plains of North America and savannas covered the land in the middle of the continent. Among the common plant life were pines, mosses, oaks and grasses. Flowering plants and edible crops dominate the landscape in the later part of this era as humans cultivate the land
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