AP BIOLOGY

Detailed explanation-1: -Abstract. The temporal link between large igneous province (LIP) eruptions and at least half of the major extinctions of the Phanerozoic implies that large scale volcanism is the main driver of mass extinction.

Detailed explanation-2: -The single biggest driver of mass extinctions appears to be major changes in Earth’s carbon cycle such as large igneous province eruptions, huge volcanoes that flooded hundreds of thousands of square miles with lava.

Detailed explanation-3: -The main modern causes of extinction are the loss and degradation of habitat (mainly deforestation), over exploitation (hunting, overfishing), invasive species, climate change, and nitrogen pollution.

Detailed explanation-4: -The study said that climate-driven ocean warming and oxygen depletion would be the primary reasons for the potential mass extinctions. In addition, direct human impacts, such as habitat destruction, overfishing and coastal pollution, also threaten marine species.

Detailed explanation-5: -These five mass extinctions include the Ordovician Mass Extinction, Devonian Mass Extinction, Permian Mass Extinction, Triassic-Jurassic Mass Extinction, and Cretaceous-Tertiary (or the K-T) Mass Extinction.