Rise of dinosaurs linked to increasing oxygen levels

EurekAlert! ^ | Tuesday, August 20, 2019 | Goldschmidt Conference

[SunkenCiv]

Scientists have found that increasing oxygen levels are linked to the rise of North American dinosaurs around 215 M years ago. A new technique for measuring oxygen levels in ancient rocks shows that oxygen levels in North American rocks leapt by nearly a third in just a couple of million years, possibly setting the scene for a dinosaur expansion into the tropics of North America and elsewhere...

The US-based scientists have developed a new technique for releasing tiny amounts of gas trapped inside ancient carbonate minerals. The gases are then channelled directly into a mass spectrometer, which measures their composition.

Lead researcher, Professor Morgan Schaller (Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, New York) said: "We tested rocks from the Colorado Plateau and the Newark Basin that formed at the same time about 1000 km apart on the supercontinent of Pangea. Our results show that over a period of around 3 million years - which is very rapid in geological terms - the oxygen levels in the atmosphere jumped from around 15% to around 19%. For comparison, there is 21% oxygen in today's atmosphere. We really don't know what might have caused this increase, but we also see a drop in CO2 levels at that time."

[SunkenCiv]

Scientists have found that increasing oxygen levels are linked to the rise of North American dinosaurs around 215 M years ago. A new technique for measuring oxygen levels in ancient rocks shows that oxygen levels in North American rocks leapt by nearly a third in just a couple of million years, possibly setting the scene for a dinosaur expansion into the tropics of North America and elsewhere. From the Goldschmidt Geochemistry conference, Barcelona.

Credit: prehistoric-wildlife.com/Darren Pepper http://www.prehistoric-wildlife.com/species/c/chindesaurus.html

[SunkenCiv]

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[SunkenCiv]

[Texas Eagle]

Whoa. If you think cows passing gas harms the atmosphere....

[House Atreides]

Our results show that over a period of around 3 million years - which is very rapid in geological terms - the oxygen levels in the atmosphere jumped from around 15% to around 19%. For comparison, there is 21% oxygen in today’s atmosphere. We really don’t know what might have caused this increase, but we also see a drop in CO2 levels at that time.”
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Don’t know the cause? Ahhh...plants?

[blueunicorn6]

Let’s see......

More oxygen.....

Less CO2.....

What could cause that?

Hmmmmmm.....

An asteroid?

No.....not an asteroid.....

Fracking......no not fracking......unless it was some fracking plants....

Wait!

That’s it!

Plants!

Where’s my Nobel Prize?

It’ll look great right next to my talking fish.

[Rebelbase]

If we cut enough CO2 will that increase O2 and bring back Raptors?

[Openurmind]

A Flora explosion?

[ClearCase_guy]

This doesn’t seem like news. The fossils of insanely big dragonflies have always indicated high levels of oxygen. You can’t have big insects without a lot of O2. Inverse law, or something.

[dirtymac]

If we cut enough CO2 will that increase O2 and bring back Raptors?
___________________________

don’t we have enough of them already? Jay-Z, Vanilla Ice

[gundog]

This is the kind of thing that gives me such faith in the AGW predictions.

[LoneRangerMassachusetts]

the oxygen levels in the atmosphere jumped from around 15% to around 19%. For comparison, there is 21% oxygen in today's atmosphere. We really don't know what might have caused this increase, but we also see a drop in CO2 levels at that time."

First come the plants to enjoy water and minerals. Then come the herbivores to enjoy the plants. Then come the carnivores to protect the plants and the environment.

[Huskrrrr]

Theory of Brontosaurus

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xs7r5xfucPs

[SunkenCiv]

...jumped from around 15% to around 19%. For comparison, there is 21% oxygen in today's atmosphere.

[SunkenCiv]

LOL! I'm a little jealous that I didn't think of that.

[Ozark Tom]

The current oxygen level is below the estimated level required to support the much larger insects in the fossil record. An amount close to 35% oxygen is required, nearly a spontaneous combustion promoting level.

[KC_Lion]

Thank You SunkenCiv.

Very Interesting!

[SunkenCiv]

My pleasure.

[SunkenCiv]

Could be, unless someone decides to back-petal... /rimshot

[miliantnutcase]

That’s been long theorized as a reason behind dinosaurs getting so large by the end of the cretaceous.