Consider the of the mid-Paleozoic. Based on the plot of atmospheric CO2, what environmental Q12. changes do you predict might explain the loss of the Silurian-Devonian reef ecosystems? Atmospheric CO2 levels dropped precipitously through the Devonian into the Carboniferous. This would have resulted in global cooling, the growth of ice sheets, and a drop in sea level. Q13. The table below lists time periods when reefs were widespread. For each time period, list the key reef building groups for that time interval (based on your answer to Q1), and then indicate whether atmospheric CO2 was relatively high or low based on the figure above. Key reef builders CO2 high Calcite or or low? aragonite? Cambrian Archaeocyatha High Calcite Silurian-Devonian Stromatoporoidea, Tabulata High Calcite Pennsylvanian-Permian Guadalupiidae (Permian only), Tabulata, Low Aragonite Richthofenioidea Stromatoporoidea, Scleractinia, High Calcite Jurassic-Cretaceous Radiolitidina Neogene Scleractinia Low Aragonite
Q12. Consider the of the mid-Paleozoic. Based on the plot of atmospheric CO2, what environmental changes do you predict might explain the loss of the Silurian-Devonian reef ecosystems? Atmospheric CO2 levels dropped precipitously through the Devonian into the Carboniferous. This would have resulted in global cooling, the growth of ice sheets, and a drop in sea level. Q13. The table below lists time periods when reefs were widespread. For each time period, list the key reef building groups for that time interval (based on your answer to Q1), and then indicate whether atmospheric CO2 was relatively high or low based on the figure above. Key reef builders CO2 high or low? Calcite or aragonite? Cambrian Archaeocyatha High Calcite Silurian-Devonian Stromatoporoidea, Tabulata High Calcite Pennsylvanian-Permian Guadalupiidae (Permian only), Tabulata, Richthofenioidea Low Aragonite Jurassic-Cretaceous Stromatoporoidea, Scleractinia, Radiolitidina High Calcite Neogene Scleractinia Low Aragonite
answer_key_reef_builders.docx