terciárna

Terciárna refers to the Tertiary period, an era in Earth's history that began approximately 66 million years ago and ended about 2.6 million years ago. It follows the Cretaceous period and precedes the Quaternary period. This vast span of time is characterized by significant geological and biological changes. Geologically, the Tertiary was a period of continental drift, mountain building, and volcanic activity. Major mountain ranges such as the Alps, Himalayas, and Rockies began to form during this era. The climate also underwent considerable shifts, transitioning from a generally warm climate at the beginning to a cooler, more variable one towards its end, setting the stage for the Pleistocene ice ages.

Biologically, the Tertiary period witnessed the diversification and dominance of mammals and birds. Following the extinction of the non-avian dinosaurs at the end of the Cretaceous, mammals rapidly evolved to fill newly available ecological niches. This led to the emergence of a wide array of mammalian forms, including early primates, whales, bats, and ungulates. Flowering plants (angiosperms) also continued their evolutionary success, becoming the dominant flora on land. Marine life also changed, with the decline of ammonites and the rise of modern marine invertebrates and fishes. The Tertiary is divided into several epochs: Paleocene, Eocene, Oligocene, Miocene, and Pliocene, each marked by distinct faunal and floral assemblages and environmental conditions. The study of fossils from this period provides crucial insights into the evolution of life and the planet's environmental history.