Estimates of the magnitudes of major marine mass extinctions in earth history

Steven M. Stanley

doi:10.1073/pnas.1613094113

journal article Oct 03, 2016

Estimates of the magnitudes of major marine mass extinctions in earth history

Steven M. Stanley

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences Vol. 113 No. 42 · Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences

View at Publisher Save 10.1073/pnas.1613094113

Abstract

Significance
This paper shows that background extinction definitely preceded mass extinctions; introduces a mathematical method for estimating the amount of this background extinction and, by subtracting it from total extinction, correcting estimates of losses in mass extinctions; presents a method for estimating the amount of erroneous backward smearing of extinctions from mass extinction intervals; and introduces a method for calculating species losses in a mass extinction that takes into account clustering of losses. It concludes that the great terminal Permian crisis eliminated only about 81% of marine species, not the frequently quoted 90–96%. Life did not almost disappear at the end of the Permian, as has often been asserted.

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Details

Published: Oct 03, 2016
Vol/Issue: 113(42)

Authors

S

Steven M. Stanley

Department of Geology and Geophysics, University of Hawaii, Honolulu, HI 96822

Cite This Article

Steven M. Stanley (2016). Estimates of the magnitudes of major marine mass extinctions in earth history. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 113(42). https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1613094113

Estimates of the magnitudes of major marine mass extinctions in earth history

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