What does the fossil record show after mass extinction events?

What does the fossil record show after mass extinction events?

• A. Fewer species exist and no new lineages appear.
• B. Many new species appear after each mass extinction event.
• C. Biodiversity remains unchanged.
• D. Only fossils of extinct species survive.

Answer: (B)

Mass extinction events clear the field, wiping out many species and freeing up ecological roles. In the fossil record, this often leads to a rapid rebound in diversity as surviving organisms radiate into the empty niches and evolve into many new lineages. This burst of speciation—adaptive radiation—fills ecosystems with a variety of forms that hadn’t existed before the extinction. So, after these dramatic events, you don’t just lose species; you also see many new species appear as life reorganizes and diversifies. That’s why the correct idea is that many new species appear after mass extinction events.

Mass extinction events clear the field, wiping out many species and freeing up ecological roles. In the fossil record, this often leads to a rapid rebound in diversity as surviving organisms radiate into the empty niches and evolve into many new lineages. This burst of speciation—adaptive radiation—fills ecosystems with a variety of forms that hadn’t existed before the extinction. So, after these dramatic events, you don’t just lose species; you also see many new species appear as life reorganizes and diversifies. That’s why the correct idea is that many new species appear after mass extinction events.