Final answer:
The Younger Dryas cooling period was a temporary return to colder conditions during the overall warming trend of the Earth's climate. It resulted in the reappearance of ice sheets and the extinction of certain species, such as the woolly mammoth.
Step-by-step explanation:
The role of climatic change during the Younger Dryas cooling period, which occurred from 10,000 - 8,000 BC, was to bring about a temporary return to colder conditions during the overall warming trend of the Earth's climate. This period was characterized by a sharp drop in temperatures, resulting in the reappearance of ice sheets and the extinction of certain species, such as the woolly mammoth. The cause of the Younger Dryas cooling period is still debated among scientists, but it is believed to have been influenced by changes in ocean circulation and the release of freshwater into the North Atlantic.