Question

After an asteroid hit the yucatan peninsula some 66 million years ago, what type of plant was first to come back on earth?group of answer choices

O fungal spores
O palm trees
O grass
O ferns

Answer 1

Ferns were the first type of plant to reappear after the asteroid impact that occurred 66 million years ago, due to their unique ability to thrive in post-catastrophic conditions.

Step-by-step explanation:

After the asteroid hit the Yucatan Peninsula about 66 million years ago, the type of plant that was first to come back was ferns. Following the mass extinction caused by the impact, the environment was initially hostile to plant growth due to darkness, cold, and inhospitable conditions for typical flora. However, ferns, which are often among the first plants to colonize disturbed areas, experienced a 'great fern radiation' during the late-Cretaceous and early Paleogene.

Ferns showed a remarkable resilience and ability to thrive in post-impact conditions, as evidenced by the spike in fern spores. The 'fern spike' is a well-documented phenomenon observed not only after the Chicxulub impact but also after volcanic eruptions like Krakatoa and Mt. St. Helens, suggesting that ferns possess qualities that allow them to be pioneer species post-disaster.