postOrdovician

The Postordovician refers to the time period following the Ordovician Period. Geologically, this encompasses the Silurian Period and the Devonian Period. The Ordovician Period ended around 443.8 million years ago, and the Silurian Period began immediately after. The Postordovician marks a significant era in Earth's history characterized by major evolutionary developments and geological changes.

Following the end-Ordovician extinction event, life began to recover and diversify. The Silurian Period saw the emergence of jawed fishes and the continued colonization of land by plants and arthropods. Terrestrial ecosystems, though still rudimentary, started to take shape. The Devonian Period, often called the "Age of Fishes," witnessed an explosion in the diversity of fish, including the evolution of lobe-finned fish from which tetrapods would eventually evolve. Plant life became more complex, with the development of forests.

Geologically, the Postordovician was a time of changing continental configurations. The supercontinent Gondwana continued to drift, and other landmasses were also in motion. Mountain-building events occurred in various regions. The climate generally warmed after the glaciation of the late Ordovician, though there were fluctuations. The Postordovician sets the stage for further evolutionary innovations and the eventual rise of amphibians and land vertebrates.