December 3, 2024
What fossilized dino feces can tell us about their rise
Paleontologists have long puzzled over how the dinosaurs—originally relatively small and of minor importance to the broader ecosystem—evolved to become the dominant species some 30 million years later. Fossilized feces and vomit from dinosaurs might hold important clues to how and why this evolutionary milestone came about, according to a new paper published in the journal Nature.Their results seem to support the "opportunistic replacement" model, at least in the Polish Basin. It started with the emergence of small omnivorous precursors to the dinosaurs that subsequently evolved into early herbivorous and carnivorous dinosaurs.
The more adaptable dinosaurs were able to feed on a wider variety of food sources, and hence were well adapted to survive.
"However, the research is limited in its context and scope, and thus should be seen as a starting point for further work. Lisowice, Poland Photo credit: Marcin Ambrozik More details »
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