postdinosaur

Postdinosaur refers to the period of Earth's history that began after the extinction of the non-avian dinosaurs at the end of the Cretaceous period, approximately 66 million years ago. This era, known as the Cenozoic Era, witnessed the rise of mammals, birds, and the diversification of many other life forms. The dramatic end of the dinosaur reign, often attributed to a cataclysmic asteroid impact, opened up ecological niches that allowed new groups of organisms to flourish and evolve.

The early Cenozoic was characterized by significant environmental changes, including fluctuating global temperatures and the reshaping of continents. Mammals, which had existed alongside dinosaurs in a more subdued role, began to rapidly diversify, filling the vacant ecological roles. This period saw the evolution of familiar mammalian groups such as primates, rodents, ungulates, and carnivores. Birds, the direct descendants of one lineage of theropod dinosaurs, also experienced a significant adaptive radiation, becoming a dominant component of aerial ecosystems.

The plant life of the postdinosaur world also underwent transformations. Angiosperms, or flowering plants, which had already begun to diversify in the Cretaceous, became increasingly dominant, leading to the evolution of new plant communities and ecosystems. The Cenozoic Era is further divided into the Paleogene, Neogene, and Quaternary periods, each marked by distinct evolutionary trends and geological events, culminating in the emergence of human civilization in the most recent period.