Second extinction events

These Late Devonian extinctions took place about 359 to 372 million years ago.

The extinction was accompanied by rapid cooling and the global average temperature dropped to 10°C.

Value	Unit
Temperature change
∆ ~5.2	°C
Rate of temperature change
10 to 100	°C per million year

The second extinction occurred due to rapid growth and diversification of land plants generated rapid and severe global cooling. It destroyed many tropical marine species as earth cooled, sea levels dropped, oxygen levels plummeted and the oceans ran low on oxygen. Volcanic eruptions, if strong enough, creates high albedo sulphuric acid aerosol blocking sunlight and causing rapid global cooling.

Extinction rates:

75% species
35% genera
19% families