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In each of the mass extinctions indicated by arrows in the graph above, what can

ID: 169210 • Letter: I

Question

In each of the mass extinctions indicated by arrows in the graph above, what can you conclude based on the slope of the loss and subsequent rebound of species number?

The same species return after each extinction event.

The rates of extinction and new species formation are equal.

The rate of extinction is much slower than the rate of new species formation.

The rate of extinction is much faster than the rate of new species formation.

Copyright The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. Permission required for reproduction or display Cretaceous 100 200 Triassic Permian 300 Devonian 400 Ordovician 500 600 600 800 200 400 1000 Number of families

Explanation / Answer

Answer: (d) The rate of extinction is much faster than the rate of new species formation.

An extinction event (also known as a mass extinction or biotic crisis) is a widespread and rapid decrease in the amount of life on earth. Such an event is identified by a sharp change in the diversity and abundance of macroscopic life.

It occurs when the rate of extinction increases with respect to the rate of speciation.

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