THE PRIMORDIAL EARTH Hadean and Archean Eons Evolution of Early Life Most likely anaerobic bacteria Were heterotrophs consumed simple organic compounds energy produced by fermentation (CO 2 and alcohol)

THE PRIMORDIAL EARTH Hadean and Archean Eons Evolution of Early Life Some became photosynthetic Were autotrophs produced own resources Stromatolites Oxygen was produced as a waste product

THE PRIMORDIAL EARTH Hadean and Archean Eons Evolution of Early Life Oxygen begins to build up in the atmosphere Advantages? Ozone layer End of Banded Iron Formation Aerobic metabolism developed Eucaryotic cells that could deal with O 2

THE PRIMORDIAL EARTH Hadean and Archean Eons Early Eucaryotic Cells Appeared about the time the Banded Iron Formation ended. May have been the result of several procaryotic cells living together in a host cell May have been for protection from O 2

THE PRIMORDIAL EARTH Hadean and Archean Eons Early Eucaryotic Cells Procaryotic cells then could have become the organelles and mitochondria of eucaryotic cells. Eucaryotic cells then reproduce sexually by mitosis and meiosis Sexual reproduction leads to genetic variation Genetic variation leads to increased evolutionary rates and diversity.

THE LESS-PRIMORDIAL EARTH The Proterozoic Eon Proterozoic – 2.5 byBP ~40% of all geologic time

THE LESS-PRIMORDIAL EARTH The Proterozoic Eon Beginning of Proterozoic marked by start of modern plate tectonics Rocks are less altered than Archean rocks Lacks abundant fossils

THE LESS-PRIMORDIAL EARTH The Proterozoic Eras 544 my to 1.0 byBP 1.0 to 1.6 byBP 1.6 to 2.5 byBP

THE LESS-PRIMORDIAL EARTH The Paleoproterozoic Era Paleoproterozoic is the oldest part of the Proterozoic Continents become stable

THE LESS-PRIMORDIAL EARTH The Paleoproterozoic Era Craton was assembled Precambrian provinces joined together to form LAURENTIA Produced by orogenic events Laurentia continued to grow during the Proterozoic

THE LESS-PRIMORDIAL EARTH The Paleoproterozoic Era Clastic and carbonate sediments begin to accumulate on the margins of the craton Occurs on continental shelves and epeiric seas

THE LESS-PRIMORDIAL EARTH The Paleoproterozoic Era The Wopmay Orogen Contains evidence of: Rifting Opening of an ocean basin Sedimentation on continental margins Closure of the ocean basin

THE LESS-PRIMORDIAL EARTH The Paleoproterozoic Era The Wilson Cycle

THE LESS-PRIMORDIAL EARTH The Paleoproterozoic Era The Wilson Cycle

THE LESS-PRIMORDIAL EARTH The Paleoproterozoic Era Trans-Hudson Orogen Includes a sedimentary record of: Rifting Opening of an ocean basin Closure of an ocean basin

THE LESS-PRIMORDIAL EARTH The Paleoproterozoic Era Trans-Hudson Orogen

THE LESS-PRIMORDIAL EARTH The Paleoproterozoic Era Trans-Hudson Orogen

THE LESS-PRIMORDIAL EARTH The Paleoproterozoic Era Paleoproterozoic Ice Age Preserved in southern Canada Includes varved mudstones tillites

THE LESS-PRIMORDIAL EARTH The Paleoproterozoic Era Paleoproterozoic Ice Age

THE LESS-PRIMORDIAL EARTH The Paleoproterozoic Era Paleoproterozoic Ice Age Gowgonda Conglomerate (Tillite?)

THE LESS-PRIMORDIAL EARTH The Paleoproterozoic Era Banded Iron FormationAnimikie Group western margin of Lake Superior Indicates that photosynthesis was occurring and O 2

THE LESS-PRIMORDIAL EARTH The Paleoproterozoic Era Banded Iron FormationAnimikie Group western margin of Lake Superior Indicates that photosynthesis was occurring and O 2

THE LESS-PRIMORDIAL EARTH The Paleoproterozoic Era Banded Iron FormationAnimikie Group With a load of iron ore twenty-six thousand tons more Than the Edmund Fitzgerald weighed empty (11/10/75)

THE LESS-PRIMORDIAL EARTH The Paleoproterozoic Era Gunflint Chert (1.9 by)Animikie Group within the Banded Iron Formations Contains evidence of procaryotic cells, including cyanobacteria

THE LESS-PRIMORDIAL EARTH The Paleoproterozoic Era Labrador TroughHudsonian Orogeny (1.6 byBP) similar to Wopmay, but on eastern North America Boundary between the Paleoproterozoic and Mesoproterozoic

THE LESS-PRIMORDIAL EARTH The Mesoproterozoic Era ( byBP) Keweenawan SequenceRift Zone ( byBP) Contains quartz sandstone, conglomerates, lava flow with copper

THE LESS-PRIMORDIAL EARTH The Mesoproterozoic Era ( byBP) Keweenawan SequenceRift Zone ( byBP) Contains quartz sandstone, conglomerates, lava flow with copper

THE LESS-PRIMORDIAL EARTH The Mesoproterozoic Era ( byBP) Keweenawan SequenceRift Zone ( byBP) Contains quartz sandstone, conglomerates, lava flows with copper