oxygen catastrophe

English

Etymology

From oxygen +‎ catastrophe. From the accumulation of atmospheric oxygen, which was toxic to the anaerobic organisms existing at the time. This process led to a widespread extinction of those life forms.

Noun

oxygen catastrophe (plural oxygen catastrophes)

  1. (biology) An event during the oxygenation event of Earth's past, where the level of free oxygen in the environment exceeds the tolerance levels of most extant anaerobic life.
    Synonyms: oxygen crisis, oxygen holocaust, oxygenation crisis, oxygenation holocaust, oxygenation catastrophe
    Hypernym: oxygenation event
    Coordinate term: oxygen revolution
  2. (biology) Such an event that theoretically occurs elsewhere, away from Earth.

Hyponyms

(the event on Earth; as specific event and a proper noun):

Coordinate terms

(the event on Earth; as specific event and a proper noun):

Translations

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