Oceanic circulation changes and continental drift as the main possible causes of palaeoclimatic variations and organic extinctions

Abstract

It seems that the evolution of the changing ocean-continent distribution and the oceanic circulation pattern have played a fundamental role in the main climatic and taxonomic chances. It is suggested that there is a link between plate tectonic processes such as rapid sea-floor spreading and continental fragmentation, oceanographic processes such as marine transgressions and weak oceanic circulation, and climatic processes such as homogeneous and warm climate with no permanent polar ice covers. The interrelated phenomena may also include other processes such as ice ages, orogenic events, oil generation and preservation, and geomagnetic fluctuations.