Legend: 1. Sigillaria; 2. Sphenophyllum; 3. Meganeura; 4. Anthropleura ( cockroach); 5. Lepidodenron; 6. Psaronius; 7. Stenopterygius;
8. Calamites; 9. Mariopteris; 10. Bothrodendron; 11. Pteridosperm; 12. Calamites (deceased)
The Carboniferous Period extended from about 360 to about 300 million years ago. It was characterized by a lowering of the earlier Devonian sea level, which led to a profusion of lush swamps and forests. This, along with the appearance of the first simple lignin-bearing trees, made possible the deposition of extensive coal beds for which the period was named. The lower sea-level devastated many marine organisms, especially crinoids and ammonites, while opening the way for an explosion of amphibian diversity. These events were captured in the fossil record allowing researchers to utilize the tools of geochronology to “confirm the timing and rates of evolutionary change” and infer the “modes and consequences of evolution within those environments.”
The artist notes: “The Brooklyn Botanic Garden commissioned this image to help their visitors visualize this important stage of evolution. Highlighted are insects and early amphibians, and a myriad of early tree species. My study for this art took me to The American Museum of Natural History, looking at that fossil record.”
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