Carboniferous period

E45902

The Carboniferous period was a Paleozoic era interval, roughly 359 to 299 million years ago, characterized by extensive swampy forests that formed vast coal deposits and by the diversification of early amphibians and insects.

All labels observed (11)

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Statements (50)

Predicate Object
instanceOf Paleozoic period
geological period
alsoKnownAs Lower Carboniferous (Mississippian)
Mississippian and Pennsylvanian in North America
Upper Carboniferous (Pennsylvanian)
atmosphericOxygenLevel higher than present
up to about 30–35 percent
biologicalEvent development of extensive peat-forming ecosystems
diversification of winged insects
origin of amniotes
radiation of amphibians
climate generally warm and humid
subject to glaciations in Gondwana
continentConfiguration Laurasia in northern hemisphere
large supercontinent Gondwana in southern hemisphere
dominantFauna diverse insects
early amphibians
early reptiles
giant millipedes
large dragonfly-like insects
dominantFlora early gymnosperms
ferns
lycopsids
seed ferns
sphenopsids
duration about 60 million years
endTime about 299 million years ago
follows Devonian period
linked to: Devonian Period
importantFor industrial coal resources
knownFor diversification of early amphibians
diversification of insects
extensive coal formation
high atmospheric oxygen levels
large arthropods
swampy forests
majorEnvironment coal-forming tropical wetlands
extensive coastal swamps
lush equatorial forests
namedAfter carbon
partOf Paleozoic era
linked to: Paleozoic Era
precedes Permian period
linked to: Permian Period
recognizedBy International Commission on Stratigraphy
resultedIn major coal deposits in Asia
major coal deposits in Europe
major coal deposits in North America
startTime about 359 million years ago
stratigraphicSystem Carboniferous system
subdivision Mississippian
Pennsylvanian
tectonicContext assembly of Pangaea

How these facts were elicited

Referenced by (38)

Full triples — surface form annotated when it differs from this entity's canonical label.

Indiana limestone geologicalAge Carboniferous period
Pennsylvania demonym Pennsylvanian
linked to: Carboniferous period
Phanerozoic Eon contains Carboniferous Period
linked to: Carboniferous period
Paleozoic Era contains Carboniferous Period
linked to: Carboniferous period
International Chronostratigraphic Chart includes Carboniferous Period
linked to: Carboniferous period
Bedford limestone geologicPeriod Carboniferous
linked to: Carboniferous period
Carboniferous period alsoKnownAs Lower Carboniferous (Mississippian)
linked to: Carboniferous period
Carboniferous period alsoKnownAs Upper Carboniferous (Pennsylvanian)
linked to: Carboniferous period
Carboniferous period stratigraphicSystem Carboniferous system
linked to: Carboniferous period
Lycopodiophyta hadArborescentFormsIn Carboniferous period
Amadeus Basin geologicalPeriod Carboniferous
subject linked to: Amadeus Basin geological region
linked to: Carboniferous period
Colony of Pennsylvania demonym Pennsylvanian
linked to: Carboniferous period
Devonian Period precedes Carboniferous Period
linked to: Carboniferous period
Permian Period follows Carboniferous Period
linked to: Carboniferous period
Carboniferous rainforest collapse occurredIn Pennsylvanian subperiod
linked to: Carboniferous period
Millstone Grit geologicPeriod Carboniferous
linked to: Carboniferous period
Fife coalfield geologicalPeriod Carboniferous
linked to: Carboniferous period
Mam Tor geologicalAge Carboniferous
linked to: Carboniferous period
Joggins Fossil Cliffs geologicalAge Late Carboniferous
linked to: Carboniferous period
Carboniferous Limestone geologicalPeriod Carboniferous
linked to: Carboniferous period
Harrodsburg Limestone partOf Carboniferous period
Mazon River geologicalAgeRepresented Pennsylvanian period
linked to: Carboniferous period
Salem Limestone geologicPeriod Carboniferous
subject linked to: Salem Limestone formation
linked to: Carboniferous period
Yorkshire coalfield geologicalPeriod Carboniferous
linked to: Carboniferous period
Malham Cove geologicalPeriod Carboniferous period
Attermire Scar geologicalPeriod Carboniferous
linked to: Carboniferous period
Salisbury Crags geologicalAge Carboniferous period
Whinny Hill geologicalPeriod Carboniferous period
Dumbarton Rock geologicalAge Carboniferous period
Age of Fishes precedes Carboniferous Period
linked to: Carboniferous period
Age of Fishes followedBy Carboniferous Period
linked to: Carboniferous period
Laurussia existedDuringPeriod Carboniferous Period
subject linked to: Laurussia continent
linked to: Carboniferous period
Cisuralian Epoch follows Pennsylvanian Subperiod
linked to: Carboniferous period
Cisuralian Epoch follows Late Carboniferous
linked to: Carboniferous period
Late Devonian precedes Carboniferous Period
linked to: Carboniferous period
North Berwick Law geologicalAge Carboniferous
linked to: Carboniferous period
Equatorial Euramerica locatedInTimePeriod Carboniferous
subject linked to: equatorial Euramerica
linked to: Carboniferous period
Laurussia existedDuringGeologicPeriod Carboniferous Period
linked to: Carboniferous period