Woolly monkey
Posted on 11/25/2010 11:56:18 AM PST by Racehorse
Mammals around the world exploded in size after the major extinction at the end of the Cretaceous period 65 million years ago, filling environmental niches left vacant by the loss of dinosaurs, according to a new study published today (Nov. 25) in the journal Science.
The maximum size of mammals leveled off about 25 million years later, or 40 million years ago, because of external limits set by temperature and land area, reported an international team led by paleoecologist Felisa Smith of the University of New Mexico.
"For the first 140 million years of their evolutionary history, mammals were basically vermin scuttling around large sauropods and other dinosaurs," Smith said. "They were completely ecologically and competitively inferior to dinosaurs and held in check by these reptiles."
The researchers spent about three years searching the existing literature and an extensive fossil database for information about the evolution of mammal dimensions. They found that many types of mammals living all over the world consistently experienced growth spurts followed by a plateau. By developing a model to explain the growth rate, they discovered that the maximum size leveled off because of ecological constraints, such as the progressive decline in suitable habitats for colossal animals.
(Excerpt) Read more at livescience.com ...
Ping.
For a moment, I thought Dino Demise was a 50’s doo wop or lounge singer.
Hmmmmm....so it wasn’t a comet that did the dinosaurs in but an evil plot by the mammalian vermin to control the ‘hood...;^
lolol.....This is hardly new information.
Bush did it.
Anthropogenic Global Warming.
Republicans in Congress.
Redneck bitter gun clingers.
And as of this last election ... Ignorant American voters.
I thought it was about Dino Rossi finally retiring.
I think Dino DeMise is a film producer.
Funny how the mind works, I first read that as Dom DeLuise.
So it is okay for an animal to become extinct for another will quickly fill the vacant niche and thrive?
Yup...this years congressional and governors elections!
Yup...this years congressional and governors elections!
HEHEHEHE! Good one!
couldn’t help myself..first thought that came to mind..ha!
Depends on your definition of quickly. In geological terms, yes. And instead of "animal", insert "entire ecological niche". One species (lions, for instance) disappearing from the African plains wouldn't open up an enormous hole in the ecology, but all of the predators going extinct would.
So, democrats are mammals that never evolved?
speculation - speculation
Literally, there have been zero dinosaur fossils found in that layer.
I agree, fossil formation and discovery is quite rare.
But you'd think someone would have found something by now if tens of millions of dinosaurs all died at the same time.
“Funny how the mind works, I first read that as Dom DeLuise.”
I have to admit, when I first read it I thought of Dino Martin, and the joke they used to make regarding Carol Wayne not drowning.
Sadly.
Los Dinos (Obscure reference)
Woolly monkey
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.