In the paleozoic, more specifically the Silurian period.
Liverworts had evolved by 472 million years ago, putting the very earliest land plants closer to the end of the Ordovician than at the beginning of the Silurian.
The adaptation of pollen and seeds allowed gymnosperm plants to colonize and dominate the land. Pollen increased the efficiency of fertilization by allowing plants to reproduce without the need for water, enabling them to thrive in terrestrial environments. Seeds provided protection and nutrients for the developing embryo, ensuring better survival on land.
The first organisms to adapt to life on land were likely plants, specifically mosses and liverworts. These early plants lacked roots and vascular tissues, but they were able to survive and reproduce in terrestrial environments. Their adaptation to land ultimately paved the way for other organisms, such as fungi, insects, and eventually vertebrates, to colonize and thrive on land as well.
The first group of terrestrial plants were likely non-vascular plants, such as mosses and liverworts. These plants were among the earliest to colonize land, evolving from aquatic ancestors around 450 million years ago. They played a crucial role in forming the foundation for terrestrial ecosystems.
Spain was the first European power to colonize California.
Life first appeared on land around 500 million years ago during the Ordovician Period. Plants and some arthropods were among the first organisms to colonize terrestrial habitats, followed by amphibians and eventually reptiles.
Mosses first appeared around 470 million years ago during the Ordovician period. They were some of the earliest plants to colonize land.
Plants, such as mosses and liverworts, began to colonize damp areas on land during the Silurian period. These early land plants played a crucial role in the colonization of terrestrial environments and paved the way for the diversification of plant life on land.
The first to colonize Jamaica is the Spaniards
Both. The generally accepted idea is that life first evolved in the sea. Insects, fish with bony fins and rudimentary lungs (adapted air bladders) and plants eventually left the water to colonize land. Life in both realms continued to adapt to their evironments over millions of years to produce the life that we see today.
Plants were able to colonize land first due to their ability to photosynthesize and produce their own food using sunlight, carbon dioxide, and water. They developed adaptations such as cuticles to reduce water loss, and roots to anchor themselves and access nutrients. In contrast, animals relied on plants for food and oxygen, making their terrestrial adaptation dependent on the establishment of stable plant ecosystems. This allowed plants to create habitats that ultimately supported the evolution of land-dwelling animals.
Animals don’t colonize. People do.
Around 400 to 350 million years ago the fist vertebras clambered onto land, they were tetrapods.