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According to a new research, the mass extinction of large mammal species in North America happened in a geological instant. In the late Pleistocene Epoch, North America lost over 50% of its large mammal species, including mammoths, mastodons, giant ground sloths, etc.
35 different genera (groups of species) were wiped out. There have been many theories revolving around this occurrence. Some of them are; abrupt change in climate, the result of comet impact, human overload and disease.
The present fossil record is deficient, making it hard to say whether the extinctions occurred in a gradual manner or not.
New studies from J. Tyler Faith, a Ph.D. candidate from George Washington University, show that the extinction is best described as a sudden event that took place thousands of years ago.
Faith’s studies maintain the idea that this mass extinction was due to human overload, comet impact or other rapid events rather than a slow abrasion.
“The massive extinction coincides precisely with human arrival on the continent, abrupt climate change, and a possible extraterrestrial impact event,” said Faith.
“It remains possible that any one of these or all, contributed to the sudden extinctions. We now have a better understanding of when the extinctions took place and the next step is to figure out why,” he added.
