The Cambrian Explosion

Interpretation of this explosion is difficult due to a limited supply of evidence based mainly on an incomplete fossil record and chemical signatures left by Cambrian rocks . Deducing the events of half a billion years might be tricky since the evidence comes from biological and chemical signatures in rocks . Studies reveal that the Cambrian dates can only be obtained through a detailed analysis of radio active elements that are contained in those rocks

Moreover , relative dating 'A ' is used since it is more sufficient for studying the process of evolution . The

pace of evolution was exceptionally fast in the Cambrian period . Possible explanations for the explosion falls under three broad categories : environmental developmental and ecological changes . Studies by Conway (2006 ) reveal that changes in environmental includes , increased carbon dioxide levels and the presence of snow balls earth glaciations . Further , the earliest man atmosphere contained no free oxygen . The oxygen that animals breathe is as a result of a product of photosynthesis for billion years Increase in oxygen concentration both in air and water increased the sizes that organisms grew at without their tissues being starved . This facilitated growth in these organisms at a faster rate

Conway (2006 ) further argues that the developmental changes have led to minor modifications to animal development . This is because as animals grow from embryo to adult , there is a possibility that they might be able to cause changes to the final animal form . The ecological explanation focuses on the interactions between different types of organisms . When they interact , there is a rapid increase in disparity and diversity . The three factors above are the major possible causes of the Cambrian Explosion

Conclusion

The Cambrian Explosion is one of the most unique explosions in history It can be viewed first as co-evolutionary rise in diversity as the...