“Mammals responded to this climate change by shrinking, with about one-third of species getting smaller.”
Uh huh.. and what did the other 2/3’s do? One must presume they either remained as is, or got larger? So to say that mammals responded by shrinking is on its face nonsense.. some responded by shrinking others did not, and the majority did not.. so what exactly is this all about?
46th Post. I was getting worried.
I also have not seen anyone ask, "which came first: the temp rise or the CO^2 rise?"
Also, they state that the temp rose 10C over a 175,000 year period. If it weren't a rise, I might have called that 1/17C per MILLENIUM change (ahem) "glacial".
And, finally, the piece de resistance: But by 130,000 years into the PETM, Sifrihippus had shrunk down to only about 8.5 pounds (3.9 kg), the size of a small housecat. These humble horses then experienced a size rebound, bulking up to about 15 pounds (7 kg) in the last 45,000 years of this warm period, putting them on par with the average bichon frise.
These things went from 12 -> 8.5 (a 1/3 decrease in size) over a 130,000 year period, as it warmed; then, as it FURTHER warmed, (or at least remained as warm) in 1/3 the time, went from 8.5 -> 15...NEARLY DOUBLING in size!
Warmth is amazing! It shrinks AND it expands!