The Biogeography of the Last Ice Age: Exploring Earth's Dramatic Changes

🌍The Earth's geography during the last ice age was vastly different from today.

🌡️Global temperatures only dropped between five to ten degrees Celsius lower than today.

🌴The Amazon rainforest contracted during the ice age, but its remnants played a crucial role in the biodiversity of the current Amazon basin.

🐘Megafauna, including mammoths, thrived during the ice age but eventually went extinct, largely due to human activity.

🌍Africa preserved more of its megafauna compared to other continents, likely due to their co-evolution with early humans.

How did the last ice age impact Earth's geography?

—The last ice age led to the expansion of tundra, the formation of deserts, and the shifting of forests around the world.

What caused the extinction of megafauna during the ice age?

—The expansion of humans and overpredation is believed to be the primary cause of megafauna extinction during the ice age.

Why did Africa preserve more of its megafauna compared to other continents?

—Africa's megafauna co-evolved with early humans, which allowed them to develop strategies to avoid overpredation.

What impact did the ice age have on the Amazon rainforest?

—The Amazon rainforest contracted during the ice age, but its remnants played a crucial role in the biodiversity of the current Amazon basin.

How did the last ice age impact global temperatures?

—Global temperatures only dropped between five to ten degrees Celsius lower than today during the last ice age.

00:00The last ice age led to dramatic changes in the Earth's geography.

04:00Tundra expanded and deserts formed as global temperatures dropped.

08:00The mammoth steppe, a large tundra biome, supported diverse wildlife including mammoths.

12:00Megafauna went extinct during this time, likely due to human expansion.

13:30Africa preserved more of its megafauna compared to other continents due to co-evolution with early humans.