The Triassic Period began after the devastating Permian-Triassic extinction event also known as the Great Dying, the largest mass extinction in Earth's history. During this time entire life on planet earth almost went extinct with 96% of sea and 70% of all land life forms disappearing in a timeline of 60000 years. It took almost 50 million years for life to recover from this event, with new evolutionary experiments appearing across land and sea.
During this time, Earth's continents were still united as the supercontinent Pangaea. Reptiles diversified, with the first dinosaurs and mammals making their appearance. Climate was hot and dry, shaping desert-like environments across vast regions.
The Triassic ecosystem was characterized by recovery and innovation. With most of Earth's landmass consolidated into Pangaea, interior regions experienced extreme seasons and arid conditions. Flora was dominated by drought-resistant plants like conifers, cycads, and ferns. River systems and oases provided crucial habitats for emerging reptiles. The first coral reefs began forming in warm shallow seas, creating new marine habitats. This period saw the establishment of modern-style ecosystems with complex food webs, though they were less diverse than in later periods. The emergence of the first dinosaurs represented a major shift in terrestrial ecosystems that would define the rest of the Mesozoic Era.
The Triassic ended with another mass extinction event along with a 2 million years long rainfall called the Carnian Pluvial Episode or CPE, wiping out many reptile groups. This opened the door for dinosaurs to dominate in the following Jurassic Period.