Several researches have been conducted to establish the main causes of mass extinctions of the fossil record. However, still big arguments are rising to mind with every attempt to locate one single cause to be responsible for a mass extinction. Why more researchers do not try to search for multiple causes to be effective in a parallel manner?
You are limited to a thin layer of rock (if you could find it , that is). This rock might have the evidence or maybe the evidence is missing. Then you are limited to working out an explanation based on the rocks below and above the extinction. No luxuries such as proposing many plausible scenarios.
Somewhat agree with Michael; however, multiple causes appear more convincing rather than a single event. Concurrent catastrophic events of physical, chemical and biological relevance perhaps combined to drastically influence the living environment to such an extent that mass extinctions take place. Since it is a gradual process, a continued and precise record preserved in the rocks is also difficult.
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