Early Silurian Epoch
Quick Summary
The Early Silurian Epoch, part of the Paleozoic Era, began approximately 443.8 million years ago and concluded 419.2 million years ago. This period followed the Ordovician Period and preceded the Devonian Period. A significant event at the start of the Silurian was the dramatic rise in global sea levels due to the melting of glaciers from the Late Ordovician ice age. This reflooding of continental platforms created shallow seas where mound-type coral reefs became common.1
Marine life, which had suffered a mass extinction at the end of the Ordovician, began to recover and diversify. While many marine invertebrate families and genera were lost, some survived and adapted to the changing conditions. Fishes were widespread during this time, and the first vascular plants started to colonize coastal areas, though continental interiors remained largely barren. The Silurian Period is considered one of the shorter geologic time periods, with its exact duration debated among geochronologists.213
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