Named the cause of repeated extinctions in the Jurassic period

Severe environmental crises led to a series of large-scale extinctions during the Jurassic period around 178–186 million

years ago. Scientists called the cause of the cataclysms abundant emissions of volcanic gases. In a new study, scientists confirmed this hypothesis.

“We have shown that episodic magmatism inKaroo province has caused recurring Jurassic ecological and biological crises,” said Arto Luttinen of the Finnish Museum of Natural History, lead author of the paper published in the journal Gondwana Research.

Previously, scientists believed that the period of volcanism inKaroo Province was only about 182–183 million years ago. Although this dating coincides with the largest Jurassic extinction event, this active magmatism does not explain the recurring environmental crises that began millions of years ago and continued long after that.

The study of samples collected in the igneousover 1,000 km zone in Mozambique showed that the previously established peak of activity at 182–183 Ma was preceded by volcanism at 185–190 Ma. And it was followed by another major magmatic stage about 178-181 million years ago. After this period, the situation on the planet stabilized.

Karoo (or Karoo) is an arid region in southern Africa, uniting semi-desert plateaus and intermountain depressions south of the Great Escarpment and the Orange River valley.

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