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How many major sea-level highstands occurred during Llandovery time?

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During the Llandovery Epoch of the Silurian Period, there were at least four major global sea-level highstands, which are intervals where the sea level rises above the continental shelf edge.1

These highstands occurred at the following times during the Llandovery:

  • First highstand: Occurred during the transition between the Rhuddanian and Aeronian stages, likely corresponding to the melting of Late Ordovician glaciers.1
  • Second highstand: Mid-Aeronian in age.1
  • Third highstand: Early Telychian.1
  • Fourth highstand: Late Telychian.1

These fluctuations were reconstructed by analyzing biological community replacement patterns across stratigraphic sequences on multiple paleocontinents, with each cycle lasting approximately 2.5 million years.1