Pliocene Epoch
Increase in grassland and savannas
Increase in grassland and savannas
The Pliocene Epoch (5.3-2.6 Ma) is in the Neogene Period of the Cenozoic Era. It occurs before the Pleistocene, and after the Miocene Epoch.
Geologic Age
Geologic Age
5.333–2.58 million years ago
Subdivisions
Subdivisions
Piacenzian: 3.600–2.58 Ma
Zanclean: 5.333–3.600 Ma
Eon / Era / Period
Eon / Era / Period
What happened during this time?
What happened during this time?
Biological
Biological
Tropical species reduce worldwide
Deciduous forests proliferated
Coniferous forests and tundra cover north hemisphere
Grasslands spread on all continents (except Antarctica)
Tropical forests were restricted to equator
Dry savannas and deserts appear
Geophysical
Geophysical
The extent of sea ice cover in Arctic was much less than it is today
Maximum winter extent did not reaching its current location until around 2.6 Ma
Additional Reading
Additional Reading