Trees Nearly Went Extinct 250 Million Years Ago

Galvasean · 10-10-2009 3:30pm #1

It has now emerged that trees were nearly completely wiped out 250 million years ago during the great Permian extinction. It took a full million years before forests started to re-emerge after the event which is know as the 'Great Dying'.
Interestingly, one group of lifeforms that appears to have done quite well in spite of this mass extinction were the lowly fungi, which were able to cope with the world's high levels of acidity and thrive.

Full article here.

Some of the creatures lost to the Permia extinction including Helicoprion (the 'bussaw 'toothed' shark), Scutosaurus and Gorgonops

Weidii · 14-10-2009 6:02pm

Lucky for trees that (in some species, anyway) their seeds can survive extremes and long periods of dormancy. I'd say they'd be hard enough to totally wipe out (naturally, obviously, not by human hand).

Whispered · 22-10-2009 1:41am

Not enough respect given to the lowly life forms on this planet, both animal and plant life. I reckon long after us more developed species are dead and gone the world will be ruled by giant fungi eating cockroaches.

Trees Nearly Went Extinct 250 Million Years Ago

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