Question

Of the "Big Five" extinctions, the largest was the one at the end of the:

- Cretaceous (K-T boundary).
- Ordovician.
- Permian.

Answer 1

The largest of the "Big Five" mass extinctions was the end-Permian extinction, resulting in a loss of most marine and terrestrial species and taking millions of years for recovery.

Step-by-step explanation:

Of the "Big Five" extinctions that occurred throughout the Earth's history, the largest was the end-Permian extinction. This catastrophic event led to the loss of approximately 96 percent of all marine species and 70 percent of terrestrial species. The end-Permian extinction is characterized by a dramatic shift in biodiversity and had a profound impact on the course of evolution, taking 30 million years for terrestrial tetrapod diversity to recover.

The Cretaceous-Paleogene extinction, also known as the K-T or K-Pg extinction, while substantial and leading to the demise of the dinosaurs 65 million years ago, was not the largest. Instead, it is the end-Permian extinction that stands out as the most severe, with far-reaching consequences for life on Earth, believed to be caused by vast volcanic activities that led to runaway global warming.