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Permian

The Permian is a geologic period and the final division of the Era, extending from 298.9 ± 0.15 Ma to 251.902 ± 0.024 Ma (47 million years in duration). It is defined by the consolidation of the , which encompassed nearly all of Earth's landmasses and was surrounded by the vast ocean, with the Palaeotethys as a prominent gulf. During the Permian, global climates shifted from an icehouse state at its onset to increasingly arid conditions, fostering vast interior deserts within while supporting tropical forests near the equator and polar glaciation. The period is subdivided into three series—the (early Permian), (middle), and (late)—further divided into nine stages, providing a framework for global correlation. Paleogeographically, the assembly of influenced ocean circulation, leading to reduced shallow marine habitats compared to earlier times and promoting the diversification of terrestrial ecosystems. Life during the Permian was remarkably diverse, with marine realms dominated by brachiopods, fusulinid foraminifers, , ammonoids, and reef-building sponges, while terrestrial environments saw the rise of synapsids (precursors to mammals), archosauromorphs, and conifer-dominated forests replacing coal swamps. Amphibians declined as habitats dried, and proliferated in the changing landscapes. The period ended catastrophically with the Permian-Triassic mass extinction around 252 Ma, the most severe in Earth's history, eradicating approximately 96% of marine species and 70% of terrestrial vertebrate genera, likely triggered by massive volcanism, methane release, and anoxic oceans. This event marked the transition to the Era, profoundly reshaping global biodiversity.

Etymology and history

Name origin

The term "Permian" was coined in 1841 by Scottish geologist Sir Roderick Impey Murchison during his fieldwork in , named after the Perm Governorate (modern-day ), a region in the western where these strata form extensive outcrops and served as the type locality for the system. Murchison selected the name to honor the ancient kingdom of Permia, emphasizing the deposits' prominence in this area as a means to establish a globally applicable stratigraphic unit. Murchison proposed "Permian" specifically to delineate a rock sequence that overlies strata and underlies beds, distinguished by its red sandstones, marls, limestones, gypsums, and assemblages—such as Productus species—that bridged and faunas, avoiding conflation with the coal-rich, marine-dominated below. This nomenclature filled a gap in the emerging timescale, completing the major systems from to Permian as recognized in and . Early adoption faced challenges due to discrepancies between Murchison's Permian and preexisting stratigraphic , including the Uralian series for lower Permian equivalents, which led to inconsistencies in correlations across the Russian platform and Urals among local geologists. By the , however, the term "Permian" gained widespread international acceptance, supplanting alternatives like the German "Dyas" and becoming standardized in global geological usage following detailed mappings in and . The regional name "Perm" derives from the Old Permic (Komi-Permyak) language, where it relates to parma, meaning a forested hill or ridge covered in dense woodland, evoking the taiga-dominated landscape of the area inhabited by Permic peoples.

Discovery and early research

The initial mapping of strata in the Perm region of Russia during the early 19th century laid foundational work for recognizing what would later be defined as Permian rocks. Karl Eichwald, a Baltic-German geologist and paleontologist, advanced the understanding of Russian Paleozoic sequences through his systematic descriptions of fossils from the Baltic provinces and around St. Petersburg, introducing modern paleontological methods to the region and identifying key stratigraphic units that included post-Carboniferous layers. His 1840 publication on ancient life in the region highlighted distinctive faunas that distinguished these strata from underlying Carboniferous deposits. Complementing this, Alexander Keyserling, a German-Russian count and geologist trained in Berlin, conducted extensive surveys across European Russia, documenting sedimentary successions in the Perm area and northern regions like the Pechora Basin; his observations on rock types, fossils, and structural features contributed to early regional stratigraphic frameworks. The pivotal moment in the discovery of the Permian came in 1841 through Roderick Murchison's expedition to the , funded by Tsar Nicholas I and undertaken with collaborators Édouard de Verneuil and Keyserling. Traversing over 4,000 miles of terrain, Murchison examined rock sequences overlying limestones and underlying beds, first encountering characteristic red sandstones and at Vyazniki, which he recognized as a distinct unit. In a letter dated October 8, 1841, published in the Bulletin de la Société Impériale des Naturalistes de Moscou, he formally named this interval the "Permian System" after the province, emphasizing its paleontological (e.g., Productus cancrini shells), lithological (e.g., magnesian limestones), and geographical continuity. This culminated in the comprehensive two-volume publication The Geology of Russia in Europe and the (1845), co-authored with de Verneuil and Keyserling, which included detailed maps, sections, and fossil illustrations establishing the Permian as a global stratigraphic entity equivalent to the German Zechstein and British Magnesian Limestone. Murchison's proposal ignited significant debates among geologists, particularly regarding the Permian's lower boundary with the and its distinction from rocks. , a prominent British geologist, contested Murchison's inclusion of the Magnesian Limestone (now recognized as basal Permian) within the , arguing it belonged to the based on its evaporitic and red-bed characteristics in northeastern , while Murchison insisted on its faunal and stratigraphic continuity with underlying sequences. These disputes, extending to equivalences with continental "Dyas" formations proposed by Jules Marcou in 1859, delayed widespread acceptance of the Permian as a until international consensus. The boundary issues were formally resolved at the 1878 International Geological Congress in , where delegates affirmed the Permian above the based on fossil evidence and stratigraphic superposition, solidifying its position in the global timescale. Twentieth-century research refined the Permian's internal divisions through international collaboration, culminating in significant standardization during the 18th International Geological Congress in in 1948, which advanced chronostratigraphic units based on integrated and lithostratigraphy from type regions in and the . Early correlations relied heavily on assemblages, with fusulinid serving as primary index fossils for sequences due to their rapid evolution and wide distribution, enabling precise zoning from the Asselian to the . Brachiopods, particularly spiriferids and productids, complemented these efforts by providing robust markers for shelf environments and facilitating interregional ties, such as linking Eurasian and North American successions through shared genera like Productus and Spirifer. These biotic tools were instrumental in delineating the period's subdivisions without reliance on at the time.

Geological framework

Cisuralian Epoch

The Cisuralian Epoch represents the lower series of the Permian System, spanning from approximately 298.9 to 272.3 million years ago, and is named for the Cis-Ural region on the western slopes of the in and , where its type strata are exposed. This epoch marks the initial phase of the Permian Period, transitioning from the late icehouse conditions toward more stable continental configurations. The is subdivided into four global stages: the Asselian at the base (298.9–293.52 Ma), followed by the Sakmarian (293.52–290.1 Ma), Artinskian (290.1–283.5 Ma), and Kungurian (283.5–272.3 Ma). The Asselian-Sakmarian boundary is placed at 293.52 ± 0.17 Ma, with the base of the Sakmarian Stage defined at the Usolka section, , by the first appearance of the conodont Sweetognathus binodosus. These stages reflect a period of gradual climatic warming and tectonic stabilization following the glaciation. Tectonically, the Cisuralian witnessed the final assembly of the supercontinent Pangea, driven primarily by the waning phases of the Variscan and Uralian orogenies. The Variscan orogeny involved the collision between Gondwana and Laurussia (Euramerica), forming extensive mountain belts across southern Europe and North America, while the Uralian orogeny resulted from the closure of the Ural Ocean between Laurussia and Kazakhstania, extending deformation into eastern Europe. These events contributed to the consolidation of Pangea, promoting widespread subsidence and the development of coal-forming swamps in humid, low-lying basins across Euramerica and northern Gondwana, where glossopterid floras dominated peat accumulation. Dominant lithologies during the Cisuralian vary by paleogeographic region, reflecting diverse depositional environments amid ongoing deglaciation and tectonic activity. In southern , glacial and post-glacial deposits, such as the diamictites and tillites of the Dwyka Group in , record the final stages of the late , overlain by terrestrial and coal measures. Along the northern margins of and in the Paleo-Tethys realm, extensive platforms developed, including shallow-marine limestones and reefs that hosted diverse benthic communities. In contrast, northern continents like Euramerica featured —predominantly sandstones and shales with oxidized iron content—deposited in fluvial and alluvial settings, indicative of arid to semi-arid conditions in interior basins. Biostratigraphically, the is characterized by key marine and terrestrial markers that facilitate global correlation. Primitive of the genus Streptognathodus, such as S. wabaunsensis, define the base of the Asselian and persist into the Sakmarian, marking the transition from faunas with their distinctive barred apparatus elements abundant in open-marine carbonates. On land, the appearance of early therapsids— amniotes including basal forms like —in upper Cisuralian deposits of Euramerica and signals the diversification of mammal-like reptiles, often associated with tetrapod assemblages in red bed sequences. These markers, combined with fusulinids and ammonoids, underpin the epoch's chronostratigraphic framework.

Guadalupian Epoch

The Guadalupian Epoch, the middle subdivision of the Permian Period, spans from 272.95 ± 0.11 Ma to 259.51 ± 0.21 Ma. It is divided into three stages: the Roadian (272.95 ± 0.11 Ma to 266.9 ± 0.4 Ma), Wordian (266.9 ± 0.4 Ma to 264.28 ± 0.16 Ma), and Capitanian (264.28 ± 0.16 Ma to 259.51 ± 0.21 Ma). The epoch is named for the Guadalupe Mountains in western Texas and southeastern New Mexico, where key exposures of its strata occur. Its lower boundary is defined by the first appearance of the conodont Jinogondolella nankingensis at the GSSP in Stratotype Canyon, Guadalupe Mountains, Texas, while the upper boundary is marked by the first occurrence of the conodont Jinogondolella postserrata. Within the Guadalupian, conodont zones such as the Jinogondolella nankingensis Zone characterize early Roadian assemblages, providing precise biostratigraphic correlation across regions. During the , the Pangea achieved relative tectonic stability following the final assembly phases of the Uralian , which concluded in the latest . This stability fostered the development of extensive interior cratonic basins and marginal epicontinental seas, with reduced tectonic activity allowing for widespread and across the . Sedimentary records reflect this setting, including thick sequences in restricted basins; for example, the Zechstein Basin in accumulated cyclic evaporites during the late , driven by arid conditions and sea-level fluctuations. In , the Palo Duro Basin preserved evaporites, such as those in the Seven Rivers Formation, indicative of hypersaline lagoonal environments. Prominent reef complexes also formed along basin margins, exemplified by the Capitan Reef in the Delaware Basin of and , a massive buildup dominated by sponges, , and bryozoans that reached up to 1,000 meters in thickness. Biostratigraphically, the represents the peak of fusulinid foraminiferan diversity, with genera such as Parafusulina achieving high abundance and morphological complexity in shallow-marine carbonates worldwide. This diversification reflects optimal warm, shallow-water conditions before a gradual decline toward the epoch's end. Concurrently, holdover flora, including lycopods and seed ferns, continued to wane as gymnosperm-dominated assemblages expanded in terrestrial settings. A transitional warming trend during the epoch contributed to these shifts, enhancing in marginal seas.

Lopingian Epoch

The Lopingian Epoch represents the final division of the Permian Period, spanning from 259.51 ± 0.21 Ma to 251.902 ± 0.024 Ma, and is divided into two stages: the Wuchiapingian (259.51 ± 0.21 to 254.14 ± 0.07 Ma) and the Changhsingian (254.14 ± 0.07 to 251.902 ± 0.024 Ma). The name derives from Loping (now Leping), a town in Jiangxi Province, China, where characteristic coal-bearing series were first identified in the late 19th century. This epoch marks a period of relative stability in the supercontinent Pangea, which had reached its final configuration by the late Permian, with equatorial latitudes dominated by vast arid interiors. During the Lopingian, tectonic activity intensified along the margins of Pangea, characterized by compressional regimes associated with zones and continental collisions. In eastern , the initiation of the Indosinian orogeny began in the late Permian, driven by the northward drift and collision of the Indochina block with the block, leading to uplift and basin inversion. Sedimentary records reflect these dynamics, with widespread and playa lake deposits in the western regions of Pangea, such as the , indicating arid to semi-arid continental environments with episodic fluvial and evaporitic sedimentation. In contrast, the Ocean featured deep-water bedded cherts, formed from siliceous biogenic oozes in pelagic settings below the , preserving evidence of radiolarian productivity amid expanding anoxic conditions toward the epoch's close. Biostratigraphically, the is marked by significant faunal shifts, including a progressive decline in ammonoid orders such as Goniatitida and Prolecanitida, culminating in their near-extinction by the , while ceratitid ammonoids began to emerge. The ammonoid genus Otoceras appears abruptly at the epoch's end, serving as a key marker for the Permian-Triassic transition. Concurrently, therapsids underwent a notable radiation, achieving peak diversity with around 20 genera by the late , dominating herbivorous niches across Pangea's southern high latitudes. The upper boundary of the Epoch, defining the Permian-Triassic boundary, is formally recognized at the Global Stratotype Section and Point (GSSP) in the section, Province, , based on the first appearance of the Hindeodus parvus. Geochemical signatures at this boundary include hints of an , with concentrations up to several parts per billion in boundary clays, suggesting possible extraterrestrial influence amid broader environmental perturbations.

Regional chronostratigraphy

The regional of the Permian Period exhibits significant variations across continents due to local tectonic settings, sedimentary environments, and historical naming conventions, necessitating biostratigraphic correlations for global integration. In , particularly in the Permian Basin of and , the system is divided into four series: the Wolfcampian and Leonardian (both ), (middle Permian), and Ochoan ( equivalent). The Leonardian Stage, spanning approximately 290–280 Ma, corresponds to the early and is characterized by marine carbonates and clastics in the Glass Mountains region, while the , from about 272–259 Ma, includes reefal limestones and evaporites in the Guadalupe Mountains. The Ochoan, roughly 259–252 Ma, represents the late Permian with predominantly evaporitic deposits like the Formation. These North American stages were formalized based on assemblages and lithostratigraphy in the mid-20th century. In , Permian reflects a continental to marginal marine succession, with the Rotliegendes Group encompassing the and volcanics deposited in rift basins across northwest , dated to around 299–272 Ma. The Zechstein Group, overlying the Rotliegendes, comprises to evaporites, carbonates, and shales formed in a restricted , spanning approximately 259–252 Ma and reaching thicknesses up to 2,000 m in . Older European nomenclature includes the Saxonian (early to mid-Permian continental deposits) and Thuringian (late Permian and evaporites) stages, which broadly align with the Autunian-Saxonian-Thuringian triad but have been largely superseded by global series for precise correlation. These divisions stem from 19th-century mappings in the and regions. Gondwanan Permian sequences, such as the in , feature lithostratigraphic units rather than formal stages, with the Ecca Group representing marine to deltaic shales and sandstones deposited from about 299–280 Ma in a setting. The overlying Beaufort Group encompasses to fluvial and terrestrial , spanning 280–252 Ma, with fossils aiding age assignments. Correlations to the global scale rely on palynomorphs and glossopterid floras, linking the Ecca to the Artinskian-Sakmarian stages. These units reflect the Late Ice Age's influence on southern high latitudes. In , the of preserves a Permian succession with local formations like the Tobra (early glacial-, ~299–290 Ma), Warchha Sandstone (Artinskian fluvial-, ~290–280 Ma), and Zaluch Group (Guadalupian-Lopingian carbonates and shales, ~272–252 Ma), where boundary debates arise from potential Visean (late ) influences in basal clastics due to glacial erratics. The Chhidru Formation, for instance, hosts Kungurian-Wordian ammonoids, facilitating ties to Tethyan realms. These Asian variants highlight peri-Gondwanan incursions. Inter-regional correlations face challenges from facies differences, such as continental in and versus marine sections in and , but are resolved using index fossils like the ammonoid genus Waagenoceras, which defines the Wordian Stage () and appears in Tethyan and North American basins for transcontinental matching. Ammonoid zonations, supplemented by and fusulinids, enable precise alignment despite local tectonic disruptions.

Paleogeography

Continental configurations

The assembly of the supercontinent Pangea was largely complete by the late Cisuralian Epoch through the collision of the major continental blocks Laurussia, Gondwana, and Angara, driven primarily by the Hercynian-Appalachian and Uralian orogenies. The Hercynian-Appalachian orogeny arose from the closure of the Rheic Ocean basin, leading to the convergence of Laurussia and Gondwana beginning in the Late Devonian and culminating in the Early Permian. This tectonic event produced extensive deformational belts across the proto-Atlantic region. Meanwhile, the Uralian orogeny, active from the Middle Carboniferous through the Early Permian, marked the suturing of Angara (the Siberian craton) to the eastern margin of Laurussia, finalizing the core structure of Pangea around 290–280 Ma. In the late Permian, Pangea assumed a near-equatorial orientation, extending from high southern to high northern latitudes with a narrow Paleotethys seaway along its eastern flank that constrained intercontinental connectivity. By this time, additional accretions had integrated Kazakhstania and Siberia into the northern framework via ongoing Central Asian and Uralian tectonics, stabilizing the supercontinent's configuration. Paleomagnetic data indicate Gondwana positioned at high southern latitudes (approximately 40–50°S in the early Permian), while northern landmasses like Laurussia occupied subtropical zones around 20–30°N. Prominent mountain belts shaped Pangea's topography, including the Variscan ranges across , formed during the Hercynian phase, and the Ouachita belt in southern , a southern extension of the system. These orogenic features directed continental drainage, with major fluvial systems originating from the elevated margins and flowing inward toward Pangea's arid heartland, fostering expansive depositional environments characterized by evaporitic sediments in closed basins.

Ocean basins and paleoceanography

During the Permian Period, the global system was dominated by , a vast superocean that encircled the supercontinent Pangea, dominating the global system and comprising approximately 85-90% of its total area, featuring extensive zones along its western margins adjacent to Laurussia and . These zones facilitated the recycling of and drove development, contributing to the dynamic evolution of the Circum-Panthalassa region. Panthalassa's included a prominent system with crest depths around 2,800 meters, supporting moderate rates of about 10 cm/year, which influenced overall depth averaging 4 km. The , positioned between northern and southern landmasses, comprised the Paleo-Tethys to the north and the emerging Neo-Tethys arm to the south, which began rifting in the Early Permian and expanded to connect equatorial regions with higher latitudes, enabling enhanced warm-water exchange. Shallow sills, estimated at 200 meters depth, separated the Paleo-Tethys from , restricting deep-water flow and promoting stratified conditions in the Tethyan basins. Basin configurations included active convergent margins with volcanic arcs along the eastern front facing , where of oceanic lithosphere generated island arcs and back-arc basins, contrasting with more stable settings in parts of eastern Gondwana's interior transitions. rates in appear to have been relatively subdued during the mid-Permian compared to later pulses, limiting the renewal of deep ocean waters and contributing to gradual basin isolation. Ocean circulation in was characterized by robust subtropical gyres centered around 30° latitude, reaching strengths up to 60 Sverdrups—roughly twice that of the modern South Pacific—driven by across Pangea, which induced zonal flow and equatorial divergence. Equatorial zones in eastern supported nutrient-rich surface waters with velocities exceeding 1 × 10⁻⁶ m/s, while poleward heat transport via western boundary currents warmed high latitudes, fostering warm polar inflows through open seaways. The Tethys connection amplified a warm equatorial pool extending poleward, but by the late Permian, Pangea-induced restrictions on circumequatorial currents, combined with sill barriers, slowed deep circulation—evidenced by increased water residence times up to 3,100 years below 3,300 meters—and initiated widespread anoxic conditions in restricted basins like the Paleo-Tethys, where oxygen levels dropped below 20 µmol/L in deeper waters.

Climate

Cisuralian climate

The Epoch marked the waning of the Karoo Ice Age, with glacial retreat in largely completing by the Sakmarian Stage. Evidence from the Dwyka Group in shows the final deglaciation sequence terminating at the end of the Sakmarian in shelf , transitioning from diamictites and tillites to post-glacial fluvial and lacustrine deposits. This shift is documented across Gondwanan basins, where glacial sediments give way to measures indicative of warmer, wetter conditions supporting accumulation in swamps. In Euramerica, the climate was predominantly humid and temperate, featuring extensive swampy floodplains that fostered coal-forming environments. These conditions supported lush vegetation in low-lying areas, with floral assemblages reflecting moist habitats. Oxygen isotope data from shells (δ¹⁸O) reveal relatively high values in the Asselian Stage, pointing to cooler polar temperatures that moderated global gradients during this transitional period. A subsequent δ¹⁸O decline into the Sakmarian-Artinskian indicates gradual warming, consistent with the icehouse-to-greenhouse transition. Precipitation patterns during the Cisuralian were influenced by emerging monsoonal circulation linked to the early assembly of Pangea, resulting in seasonal river systems that deposited cyclothems and supported episodic flooding. Climate models simulate a strong southern monsoon in the Sakmarian, driving wetter conditions in southern landmasses, while northern monsoons were weaker but still contributed to seasonal variability in precipitation across equatorial regions. Atmospheric CO₂ levels hovered around 300-400 ppm, rising from Carboniferous lows of approximately 180 ppm, as reconstructed from soil carbonates and fossil leaf stomata, facilitating the post-glacial recovery. Proxy evidence from plant fossils underscores the prevalence of wetter s, with lycopods dominating assemblages in swamps and floodplain deposits, reflecting to humid, low-energy environments. These arborescent lycopods, such as those in the , formed dense forests in temperate zones, their distribution correlating with occurrences and indicating sustained moisture availability.

and

The and epochs marked a progressive shift toward warmer and drier global conditions across Pangea, transitioning from a relatively humid early Permian state to a pronounced that intensified environmental stress leading into the end-Permian crisis. Atmospheric CO₂ levels rose during the , reaching approximately 1000–2000 ppm based on stomatal proxies, driven primarily by volcanic emissions from the Emeishan (). This CO₂ increase contributed to , promoting evaporite precipitation in interior basins such as the Delaware Basin, where restricted circulation and heightened evaporation led to widespread deposition of and under arid conditions. In the , climate extremes intensified, with hyper-arid conditions dominating Pangea's continental interiors, where mean annual temperatures approached 40°C and seasonal highs reached 45–50°C, as evidenced by and sedimentary records from the Moradi Formation in central Pangea. Along Pangea's coastal margins, a megamonsoonal circulation pattern developed, driven by the supercontinent's configuration and thermal contrasts, resulting in intensified seasonal rainfall and fluvial activity near the Tethys and margins. CO₂ levels stabilized at 500–1000 ppm, sustaining elevated temperatures without polar ice sheets by the Wordian stage of the epoch. Paleosol evidence underscores this aridification trend, with widespread calcrete development in continental sequences indicating prolonged dry seasons and episodic precipitation, as seen in North American and European sections. Concurrent δ¹³C excursions in pedogenic carbonates, with negative shifts exceeding -5‰ across the Guadalupian–Lopingian boundary, reflect perturbations in the global carbon cycle, likely tied to enhanced weathering and organic matter input under fluctuating moisture regimes. Regionally, these changes manifested in the contraction of humid equatorial zones, where rainforests declined sharply in western Pangea due to rising and CO₂-driven physiological stress on glossopterid-dominated . Polar regions transitioned to ice-free conditions by the Wordian, supporting temperate forests but experiencing increased . Ocean-atmosphere interactions amplified these trends, with restricted basins like the and Sverdrup experiencing elevated salinities from evaporative drawdown, fostering localized as a precursor to broader . Late-stage volcanic activity further exacerbated these imbalances, contributing to disruptions at the epoch's end.

Biota

Flora

During the Cisuralian epoch, Permian flora was characterized by extensive wetland ecosystems dominated by arborescent lycopods such as Lepidodendron and Sigillaria, alongside calamitaleans like Calamites, which thrived in swampy, peat-forming habitats across Euramerica and other tropical regions. These plants, adapted to high-moisture environments, formed dense coal forests that supported significant organic carbon burial. In Gondwana, glossopterids emerged as dominant elements in lowland assemblages, rapidly colonizing habitats vacated by earlier vegetation following deglaciation, with Glossopteris forming arborescent stands indicative of cooler, seasonal climates. This distribution reflected a global pattern where Euramerican floras emphasized wetland pteridophytes and sphenopsids, while Gondwanan assemblages featured seed-bearing glossopterids adapted to higher southern latitudes. A marked shift occurred from the to epochs, driven by progressive and wetland decline, leading to the expansion of drier upland vegetation dominated by plants. , particularly walchian forms like Walchia, rose in prominence within these seasonally dry landscapes, forming low-diversity forests on well-drained substrates in Euramerica and adjacent regions. Ginkgophytes also proliferated in these environments, contributing to the transition toward gymnosperm-dominated biomes better suited to reduced . Seed ferns, exemplified by taxa related to Neuropteris, faded in abundance as spore-producing groups waned, supplanted by more drought-tolerant plants amid the overall vegetational restructuring. Cathaysian floras of eastern featured distinctive gigantopterids, large-leaved seed ferns interpreted as climbing vines or lianas that added structural complexity to tropical woodlands during the late Permian. Globally, Euramerican assemblages contrasted with Gondwanan ones through the prevalence of callipterids like Callipteris in arid zones, signaling adaptation to semi-arid conditions with sparse, conifer-rich . This biogeographic partitioning underscored the influence of paleoclimate, with mixed floras occurring along transitional margins. Ecologically, the Permian progression from expansive coal swamps to drier ecosystems reduced via diminished accumulation, contributing to atmospheric CO2 accumulation and the termination of the Late Paleozoic Ice Age. The decline in flora, particularly lycopod-dominated forests, lessened organic matter burial rates, amplifying greenhouse effects that facilitated the rise of hegemony.

Marine biota

The marine of the Permian period exhibited remarkable diversity, particularly in tropical and subtropical shallow-water environments, where dominated and shelf ecosystems. , especially the fusulinids, achieved their zenith of morphological and taxonomic diversity during this era, with genera such as Schwagerina exemplifying the group's adaptation to carbonate platforms; these single-celled organisms developed elongated, rice-like tests reaching up to 1 cm in length, facilitated by elevated atmospheric oxygen levels that enabled . Brachiopods, another key component of benthic communities, saw the order Productida emerge as the most abundant and morphologically varied group throughout the Permian, comprising species with robust, spinose shells that anchored in soft sediments and contributed to bioclastic deposits. Rugose corals, though less dominant than in earlier times, played a significant role in constructing frameworks within Permian , forming colonial structures alongside other organisms in warm, clear waters of the . Mollusks and echinoderms further enriched Permian marine ecosystems, with nautiloids representing the era's most prominent cephalopods in the expansive Tethys seaway, where their straight or coiled shells supported active swimmers in open marine settings. , stalked echinoderms, proliferated in the Tethys region, forming dense "crinoid gardens" on seafloors and contributing biogenic carbonates to sedimentary layers through their calyxes and arms. Ammonoids, evolving from simpler ancestors with straight sutures, developed more intricate ceratite patterns during the Permian, reflecting adaptive radiations in pelagic habitats and serving as key index fossils for . Vertebrate components included chondrichthyans such as the enigmatic shark-like , characterized by a unique whorl of fused teeth embedded in the lower jaw, which functioned to slice through soft-bodied prey in coastal waters; this eugeneodontid thrived across Permian oceans, with estimates based on tooth whorls suggesting a body length of 5-8 meters (16-26 feet). Actinopterygians, or ray-finned fishes, inhabited shallow marine realms, where their diverse forms—ranging from small schooling species to larger predators—filled niches in lagoons and nearshore environments, often preserved in lagerstätten like those of the Phosphoria Formation. Ecological zonation was pronounced, with the Capitan Reef complex in the Delaware Basin exemplifying a biodiverse buildup where sponges, calcareous , and bryozoans served as primary framework constructors, supporting associated faunas in a barrier system up to 700 meters thick. In contrast, the deep waters of hosted siliceous microfossils like , which formed vast chert deposits indicative of open-ocean productivity and siliceous oozes accumulating below the . These zones occasionally experienced localized , influencing benthic distributions as noted in paleoceanographic records. A notable decline in marine diversity occurred during the Guadalupian epoch, particularly affecting tropical assemblages, where warming seas and associated environmental stress led to reduced reef-building capacities and losses among fusulinids and other , setting the stage for further perturbations.

Terrestrial invertebrates

During the Permian Period, terrestrial , primarily arthropods, underwent significant diversification and adaptation to increasingly varied continental environments, including forests, floodplains, and emerging arid zones. Arthropods such as , arachnids, myriapods, and crustaceans formed key components of these ecosystems, contributing to nutrient cycling and serving as prey for early tetrapods. Their fossil record reveals a tied to the of glossopterid-dominated forests in the early to middle Permian, followed by challenges from global toward the period's end. Insects represented one of the most prominent groups, with early lineages like eoblattodeans—primitive cockroach-like forms (Blattodea)—appearing in the fossil record by the Early Permian, characterized by robust bodies adapted for scavenging in humid litter layers. Odonatopterans, stem-group relatives of modern dragonflies and mayflies, also proliferated, exemplified by the griffenfly Meganeuropsis permiana from the Early Permian Wellington Formation in Kansas, which achieved wingspans up to 71 cm, facilitated by elevated atmospheric oxygen levels promoting gigantism. These large insects likely faced predation pressures from synapsids such as pelycosaurs, including Dimetrodon, which occupied top carnivore niches and exerted selective forces on aerial and terrestrial arthropod populations. Plant-insect interactions, including herbivory on seed ferns and conifers, underscored co-evolutionary dynamics in these forests. Arachnids, including scorpions and spiders, expanded into drier habitats during the Permian, reflecting adaptations to the period's shifting climates. Scorpions, such as the genus , burrowed in alluvial soils beneath hygrophilous vegetation, with complete specimens from the Early Permian Leukersdorf Formation in , , indicating a body length of about 12 cm and a transition from ancestors to more derived forms persisting into the . Spiders, with crown-group origins in the late , diversified alongside these changes, utilizing silk for prey capture in semi-arid settings. This arachnid radiation, peaking in the Permian, aligned with broader terrestrialization trends. Myriapods, particularly millipedes, thrived in moist microhabitats like leaf litter accumulations under glossopterid forests, where they decomposed and facilitated . traces and body fossils from Permian paleosols, such as those in the upper sequence of , suggest these detritivores fed on decaying debris, contributing to recycling in ecosystems. Crustaceans, though predominantly , included semi-terrestrial and freshwater forms like isopods that colonized Permian lakes and rivers. Molecular phylogenies indicate that freshwater isopod lineages, such as those in , diverged around 281 million years ago, inhabiting lentic environments amid the period's expansions. These isopods, preserved in lacustrine deposits, adapted to low-oxygen freshwater settings, bridging origins with later terrestrial invasions. Overall diversity of terrestrial radiated during the (Middle Permian) in humid forest biomes, with high in orders like and recorded in Euramerican and Gondwanan assemblages, driven by abundant vegetation and stable climates. However, (Late Permian) led to a decline, as evidenced by reduced insect interactions on xerophytic floras in sites like the South Urals and Karoo Basin, where generalized herbivory persisted but endophytic forms waned amid oxygen fluctuations and . Exceptional fossil sites, such as the Early Permian locality in and the Middle Permian Abrahamskraal Formation in South Africa's Basin, yield Mazon Creek-like assemblages with siderite concretions preserving soft tissues, wings, and exoskeletons of like grylloblattodeans and protozygopterans. Similarly, the Chemnitz petrified captures scorpions and millipedes in , offering insights into in situ behaviors and community structures. These Lagerstätten highlight the fragility of Permian faunas leading into the end-Permian .

Terrestrial vertebrates

During the Permian Period, terrestrial vertebrates diversified significantly, comprising amphibians, early amniotes, and synapsids that adapted to a range of continental environments from humid lowlands to interiors. Synapsids emerged as the dominant group, evolving from basal forms to more advanced lineages, while amphibians and reptiles occupied niche roles influenced by climatic shifts toward . This faunal assemblage supported complex food webs, with predators preying on smaller herbivores and . Amphibians, primarily temnospondyls, inhabited wetland margins and semi-terrestrial settings early in the period but declined as climates dried. , a robust temnospondyl reaching lengths of about 2 meters, exemplified these predators with its powerful limbs suited for both aquatic and terrestrial locomotion in floodplain environments. By the late Permian, temnospondyl diversity waned, reflecting reduced moisture availability that favored more drought-tolerant amniotes. Early amniotes, including captorhinids and parareptiles such as pareiasaurs, thrived in semi-arid to arid zones of equatorial Pangea. Captorhinids, small herbivorous reptiles like Captorhinus, burrowed in dry soils and dispersed widely across tropical regions, correlating strongly with semi-arid conditions. Parareptiles adapted similarly, with pareiasaurs featuring armored bodies for protection in open, xeric landscapes. Synapsids dominated Permian land faunas, with pelycosaurs prevalent in the (early Permian) and therapsids rising in the and (middle to late Permian). Pelycosaurs, comprising at least 70% of early Permian vertebrate assemblages, included carnivores like , whose dorsal sail likely aided by absorbing solar heat. Therapsids, more mammal-like in skull structure and posture, diversified into herbivores and carnivores; dicynodonts such as became abundant in the late Permian, grazing on glossopterid floras with beak-like mouths. Major faunal provinces shaped vertebrate distributions, with the Karoo Basin in yielding rich assemblages from floodplain deposits. In , red bed formations like those in preserved diverse early Permian faunas, including pelycosaurs and temnospondyls in riverine settings. These provinces reflected latitudinal gradients, with higher-latitude Gondwanan sites hosting cold-adapted forms by mid-Permian. Evolutionary milestones included the rise of endothermy among therapsids, evidenced by bone histology indicating elevated metabolic rates in Permian groups like dinocephalians and dicynodonts. Herbivory expanded independently in multiple lineages, enabling exploitation of emerging seed-fern vegetation and reducing reliance on insect prey. These adaptations positioned therapsids for post-extinction dominance into the .

Permian–Triassic extinction event

Description and timing

The , also known as the end-Permian mass extinction, represents the most severe biotic crisis in Earth's history, occurring at the boundary between the Epoch of the Permian Period and the Stage of the , approximately 251.9 million years ago (Ma). This event unfolded over a geologically brief duration of less than 60,000 years, as determined by high-resolution cyclostratigraphic analysis of sedimentary cycles in sections, which reveal rapid environmental perturbations synchronous with the main pulse of extinction. In terms of scale, it eliminated approximately 81–96% of marine species and around 70% of terrestrial vertebrate species, profoundly reshaping global ecosystems and leaving selective survivors such as the Lystrosaurus, which briefly dominated post-extinction terrestrial landscapes in the . Geological signatures of the event include a pronounced negative excursion in carbon isotopes (δ¹³C), with drops of 6–8‰ in both organic and inorganic carbon records from sections, indicating massive disruptions to the near the boundary. Additionally, a characteristic "fern spike" appears in terrestrial sedimentary records immediately above the boundary, reflecting a temporary dominance of -like disaster taxa in the aftermath of community collapse. Stratigraphically, the event is precisely defined at the Global Stratotype Section and Point (GSSP) in the section of Province, , where the base of the is marked by the first appearance of the Hindeodus parvus in Bed 27c. The unfolded in at least two distinct phases: a minor pulse at the end-Capitanian (Guadalupian-Lopingian , approximately 260 Ma), which affected certain and terrestrial groups, and a more severe main pulse at the end-Changhsingian (latest Permian), responsible for the bulk of species losses.

Causes and consequences

The primary hypothesized trigger for the was the eruption of the , which involved the extrusion of approximately 4 million km³ of flood basalts over a geologically brief interval of less than 1 million years. This massive released an estimated 10,000–30,000 gigatons of (CO₂) into the atmosphere, driving profound of 8–10°C. The rapid injection of greenhouse gases disrupted the , amplifying climatic instability and setting off cascading environmental perturbations. Secondary factors exacerbated the crisis, including the destabilization of methane hydrates in ocean sediments, which released additional potent greenhouse gases and further intensified warming. Concurrently, elevated atmospheric CO₂ levels led to , with surface seawater pH dropping from around 8.0 to approximately 7.5, severely impacting calcifying organisms. Widespread anoxia, fueled by thermal stratification and reduced ocean circulation, expanded oxygen minimum zones and contributed to the loss of over 90% of species by suffocating aerobic forms. The extinction's consequences included the wholesale collapse of marine and terrestrial food chains, as primary producers and basal trophic levels were decimated by acidification, , and , propagating up through higher levels. In the , expansive "dead zones" devoid of macroscopic life persisted, marked by black shales indicative of prolonged euxinic conditions. Ecosystem recovery was markedly delayed, with marine remaining suppressed until the , approximately 5–10 million years after the event, due to lingering , elevated temperatures, and nutrient imbalances. Ongoing debates center on the relative roles of versus other mechanisms, such as an asteroid impact, though for the latter remains minimal, with no confirmed or comparable to other extinction events. On land, —acute CO₂ poisoning leading to —has been proposed as a key driver of terrestrial and die-offs, particularly in humid environments where CO₂ accumulation in soils and burrows proved lethal. Supporting isotopic includes mercury enrichment anomalies across sections, attributed to volatilization and atmospheric transport from eruptions, as well as negative excursions in isotopes signaling reduction and .

Economic importance

Hydrocarbon deposits

The Permian period's sedimentary basins preserved substantial hydrocarbon resources, including , , and , due to organic-rich source rocks and effective trapping mechanisms developed in marine and terrestrial environments. The Permian Basin in western and southeastern stands as the world's largest oilfield, with production dominated by unconventional resources in the Wolfcamp Shale of age. This formation is estimated to contain 20 billion barrels of technically recoverable , unlocked primarily through hydraulic fracturing and horizontal drilling techniques. As of 2025, the basin yields over 6 million barrels of per day, accounting for nearly half of U.S. production and playing a pivotal role in global energy markets. In the North Sea, Late Permian Zechstein evaporites act as impermeable seals overlying Rotliegendes sandstones, which form major gas reservoirs charged by underlying Carboniferous source rocks. These structures have enabled the development of some of Europe's largest natural gas fields, with the evaporite layer preventing vertical migration of hydrocarbons. Permian coal deposits, particularly from Cisuralian Gondwanan settings, represent significant resources in southern hemisphere basins. The Bowen Basin in eastern Australia hosts extensive Permian coal measures, with identified resources exceeding 20 billion tonnes, supporting major coking and thermal coal exports. In Russia, the Kuznetsk Basin contains vast Permian coal reserves estimated at 63.7 billion tonnes, making it one of the world's premier coal-producing regions. Key source rocks for Permian hydrocarbons include marine shales enriched in , deposited during episodes of oceanic anoxia that limited oxygen and preserved algal and planktonic remains. These shales, such as those in the Capitanian-Changhsingian intra-platform basins, exhibit high content and generate oil and gas upon maturation.

Mineral resources

The Permian period is renowned for its extensive deposits, particularly salts, which formed in restricted marine basins under arid conditions. , the Ochoan Salado Formation in the Carlsbad district of hosts significant stratabound potash-bearing s, including and langbeinite, discovered in 1925 and actively mined since . These deposits have supplied a substantial portion of domestic needs, with historical production exceeding millions of metric tons of . , the Lower Permian Verkhnekamskoye (Upper ) deposit near in the region contains vast resources of potassium-bearing salts, estimated at over 3.8 billion metric tons, and ranks among the world's largest, contributing significantly to global supply through underground operations. Together, Permian s from these and other basins, such as the Zechstein in , account for a major share of worldwide production, supporting approximately 25% of global needs. Metallic minerals associated with Permian red beds and related strata also hold economic value. In Germany, the Mansfeld Basin within the Southern Permian Basin features copper mineralization in the Kupferschiefer, a Late Permian black overlying Rotliegendes , where sediment-hosted stratabound deposits have been exploited since the . Historical in the Mansfeld-Sangerhausen district yielded over 2.6 million metric tons of from approximately 109 million metric tons of ore between 1200 and 1990, with remaining resources estimated at 860,000 metric tons of in 35.4 million metric tons of ore. In , uranium occurs in the Upper Permian Beaufort Group of the Basin, primarily as peneconcordant tabular deposits in fluviatile sandstones, formed through early diagenetic processes involving from volcanic and as coffinite and . These low-grade but extensive deposits, confined to permeable channel sandstones, represent a key resource for , though exploitation has been limited by economic and environmental factors. Gypsum and from Permian evaporites are widely utilized in industrial applications. The Zechstein evaporite sequence in , spanning , , and the , contains thick beds of () and , formed in a vast Late Permian basin. These minerals are extracted for construction materials, such as plasterboard from , and chemical production, including and soda ash from brines, with ongoing solution mining operations supporting regional industries. The economic formations extend to phosphorites in the Phosphoria Formation of the , particularly the Meade Peak Member in , , and , which hosts beds of carbonate-fluorapatite up to 32% P₂O₅. These deposits, covering over 135,000 square miles and mined since the early , serve as a primary source of rock for fertilizers, with minor associated and enhancing their value. Mining of Permian evaporites in traces back to the , when deep shafts at Stassfurt in the Zechstein sequence revealed extensive and strata, leading to commercial extraction starting in 1861. This development, spurred by industrial demand for chemicals and fertilizers, involved over 20 shafts and advanced techniques like steam-powered pumps, marking a pivotal era in the region's geological resource utilization.

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