Articles tagged with Paleoecology
A team of researchers discovered fossil amphibians preserved in cylindrical burrows in Wyoming, providing insights into their adaptation to extreme seasonal conditions. The ancient creatures, about a foot long, had underdeveloped arms and likely used their heads to dig burrows during the dry season.
A team of researchers has unveiled a spectacular new fossil arthropod named Lomankus edgecombei, preserved entirely in fool's gold. The specimen belongs to a group called megacheirans, which were thought to be extinct during the Ordovician Period.
Fossilized enantiornithine birds from the Hell Creek Formation exhibit powerful leg muscles and feet adapted for carrying heavy prey, similar to modern raptorial birds. These discoveries expand our understanding of Late Cretaceous bird diversity and evolution.
A discovery of 18 theropod tracks and four ornithopod tracks in the Wonthaggi Formation reveals that large carnivores roamed polar environments, feeding on prey like smaller dinosaurs, fish, and turtles. The finds confirm that a variety of dinosaurs lived and walked on the ground where their bones were found.
A new species of extinct crocodile relative, Benggwigwishingasuchus eremicarminis, has been discovered in Nevada, USA. The species reveals that pseudosuchian archosaurs ruled the shores across the Middle Triassic globe between 247.2 and 237 million years ago.
Researchers from Aarhus University conclude that human hunting was responsible for the extinction of at least 161 species of large mammals over the past 50,000 years. The analysis of various research fields, including climate history and genetic estimates, suggests that human hunting was widespread and consistent across the world.
The newly discovered Lokiceratops rangiformis is a massive horned dinosaur found in the badlands of northern Montana. It boasts two enormous blade-like horns on its frill, as well as an asymmetric spike, making it one of the most ornate species ever found.
Lokiceratops rangiformis, a plant-eating dinosaur with large horned frill and asymmetrical caribou-like antlers, has been discovered in Montana. The species' unusual features may have played a role in mate selection or species recognition.
A recent study reveals that ancient hunter-gatherers in Morocco consumed a significant amount of plant foods, including Mediterranean species, which predates the advent of agriculture in the region. This finding has significant implications for our understanding of human evolution and subsistence strategies.
A new study has analyzed fossil records of marine invertebrates over the past 485 million years, identifying key traits that affect resilience to extinction. The research suggests that species with restricted thermal ranges are at greatest risk, and global biodiversity faces a harrowing future.
Researchers used high-resolution techniques to analyze organic material from the early Earth, shedding light on the formation and composition of ancient biomass. The study found evidence of biological origin in microscopically small particles, suggesting a turbulent history of sediment deposits.
Researchers discovered human fossils and artifacts at Ilsenhöhle in Ranis, Germany, indicating that Homo sapiens arrived in cold northern latitudes before Neanderthals disappeared in southwest Europe. The analysis of ancient DNA and zooarchaeological findings suggests that humans consumed a diverse range of animals during their stay.
Researchers have uncovered evidence of complex microbial communities existing in ecosystems over 3 billion years ago, with a diverse carbon cycle involving various microorganisms. The study provides a rare glimpse into the Earth's early ecosystems and advances our understanding of ancient microbial ecosystems.
A recent study published in Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences found that AI technology can accurately identify prehistoric and modern African antelopes, with an accuracy rate of over 90% compared to humans. This breakthrough sheds light on ancient ecosystems and their impact on human evolution.
A newly described mosasaur, the Wakayama Soryu (blue dragon), had a distinctive shark-like dorsal fin and massive flippers that defied classification. The specimen, discovered in Japan, is the most complete mosasaur skeleton found in the country, with features that challenge current understanding of its swimming abilities.
A new study reveals that cycad species that survived the dinosaur extinction relied on symbiotic bacteria in their roots for nitrogen. This discovery sheds light on how these plants adapted to changing environments and could provide insights into understanding Earth's climate history.
The discovery of a complete Anachlysictis gracilis skeleton in Colombia provides new insights into the species' weight, estimated at around 23 kg, and diet as a hypercarnivore. The fossil's analysis suggests it preyed upon small mammals, such as marsupials and rodents, and possibly primates.
A new modeling method powered by interconnected processors removed human bias from the debate over dinosaurs' demise. The study suggests that the outpouring of climate-altering gases from the Deccan Traps alone could have been sufficient to trigger global extinction, consistent with volcanic eruptions contributing to the mass extinction.
Researchers discovered 'mummified' bees in their brood cells, preserving them for 3,000 years due to exceptional conservation. The bees' cause of death remains unknown but is linked to oxygen shortages and changing temperatures in southwest Portugal.
The invasive orange pore fungus has won the third BMC Ecology and Evolution image competition, highlighting its potential threats to Australian ecosystems. The winning image depicts bright orange fruiting bodies growing on deadwood in the Australian rainforest.
Proeboscideans evolved tooth changes in response to vegetation changes and climate change in East Africa. The earliest true elephants developed highly specialized high-crowned molar teeth around 7 million years ago, adapted to grass-rich diets.
Paleontologists discovered a tiny fossil mammal that thrived in Arctic conditions 73 million years ago. The 'ice mouse', weighing only 11 grams, likely weathered four months of winter darkness and freezing temperatures.
A team of scientists led by University of Alaska Fairbanks geology professor Sarah Fowell are collecting samples from beneath the sea floor to learn about vegetation and climate of region 25,000 years ago. The project will be shared via digital and social media channels.
The Pacific Northwest and Cascadia Bioregion are home to diverse ecosystems, including temperate rainforests and marine environments. Research presented at the ESA Annual Meeting explores topics such as restoration efforts, plant community recovery, and climate change impacts on salmon populations.
Scientists have discovered the first known Jurassic vertebrate fossils in Texas, filling a significant gap in the state's fossil record. The fossils belong to a plesiosaur, an extinct marine reptile that roamed the region about 150 million years ago.
A new guide has been created to standardize fossil pollen datasets, enabling researchers to compile and analyze large-scale syntheses of palaeoecological data. The FOSSILPOL workflow and R-package provide a step-by-step process for handling data preparation, ensuring good data quality and minimizing erroneous interpretations.
Researchers discovered that Obamus coronatus, a half-inch long Ediacaran animal, preferred to live on specific parts of the sea floor in the company of other Obamus. This finding shows that even without modern descendants, ancient animals could exhibit sophisticated behavior and habitat selection.
A study from the Max Planck Institute of Geoanthropology found technological continuity spanning 140,000 years at Bargny 1 site in Senegal, suggesting Middle Stone Age toolkits persisted longer than thought. The research highlights long-term cultural stability in West Africa's diverse habitats.
Researchers from Natural History Museums of Los Angeles County have discovered evidence of a symbiotic relationship between Cretaceous dinosaurs and feather-feeding beetles. The study found that the beetles fed on the feathers of theropod dinosaurs during the Early Cretaceous period, approximately 105 million years ago.
Recent studies published in Science have reconstructed early ape fossil sites in eastern Africa, showing a wide range of habitats existed before the emergence of bipedalism. Researchers gathered thousands of fossil remains and data to redefine the ancient environments.
A new study challenges previous estimates of Dunkleosteus' size, finding that mouth dimensions of extant sharks do not reliably estimate body size. The research suggests arthrodires have larger mouths relative to their body length than sharks, leading to biologically illogical body shapes and likely suffocation due to small gills.
A new study finds that supernovae have a persistent influence on marine life's biodiversity, with variations in nearby exploding stars closely following changes in marine genera. Supernovae may regulate climate through cosmic rays, influencing nutrient transport and primary bioproductivity.
Researchers found that female caribou shed their antlers within days of giving birth, leaving behind a record of their annual travels across Alaska and Canada's Yukon. The study demonstrates how important the area is for an animal that native Alaskans and Canadians still depend on for sustenance.
A study published in Frontiers in Environmental Archaeology reveals that Neanderthals regularly harvested large brown crabs from the nearby rocky coast, targeting adult animals and cooking them on coals. The findings add evidence to the notion that marine foods played a significant role in Neanderthal diets.
Researchers studied pollen data from North America's Neotoma Paleoecology Database to understand plant migration patterns and climate fidelity. Most plant species have exhibited long-term climate loyalty over the past 18,000 years, while some plants adapt locally in response to climate change.
A team of scientists found evidence that 37 ichthyosaurs died in the same location, suggesting they were migrating to give birth over hundreds of thousands of years. Geochemical tests revealed no signs of environmental disturbance or mass stranding events, pointing to a more plausible explanation for their demise.
A new egg species, Ramoprismatoolithus okurai, has been identified from Early Cretaceous fossil eggshell fragments found in Japan. The analysis of the eggshell fragments and impressions suggests an affinity with the troodontids, a group of small non-avian theropod dinosaurs.
A new UNLV study compares ancient and modern ocean ecosystems, finding that ancient food webs varied greatly from today's systems. The research highlights the importance of understanding trophic position in community evolution and has implications for conservation efforts and policy.
Scientists discovered that the first complex, multicellular life forms on Earth were wiped out 550 million years ago due to oxygen loss in the oceans. The researchers used nearly every known Ediacaran animal's environment and habits to disprove previous explanations for their disappearance.
A recent study found that insect herbivores have caused more damage to plant matter from leaves in recent history than millions of years ago. The frequency of leaf damage by insects among forest plants in recent history is more than twice that of vegetation from the Pleistocene and Late Cretaceous periods.
Scientists discovered that an early bird species called Jeholornis ate fruits and seeds, helping plants dominate the world today. The bird's skull shape and stomach contents showed evidence of a seasonal diet with whole fruits during fruit season.
A new study found that North American mammal communities have become more than twice as homogenous as they were 10,000 years ago, primarily due to early human hunting and farming activities. The accelerated homogenization is likely linked to the spate of large-mammal extinctions, which increased similarity among remaining species.
Fossilized specimens of Vampyronassa rhodanica, an ancient cephalopod related to octopus and squid, display robust suckers for active hunting. The species is thought to have used these suckers to create a watertight seal and manipulate prey.
Megalodon and its ancestors were at the highest trophic level in prehistoric marine food webs, consuming other predators and large prey. The team measured nitrogen isotopes in shark teeth to determine their trophic levels, revealing a complex food web with multiple apex predators.
Researchers used zinc isotopes to investigate megalodon's diet and find that great white sharks likely competed with it for prey. The study provides a unique window into the past, allowing scientists to analyze extinct animals' diets over millions of years.
The Ecological Society of America will hold its 107th Annual Meeting in Montreal from August 14-19, 2022. This year's meeting combines resources and interests of the ESA and Canadian Society for Ecology and Evolution, focusing on theme "A Change Is Gonna Come" exploring global environmental and evolutionary change.
A remote Irish community endured a millennium of climate change and ecological shifts without significant disruption, thanks to its adaptable social practices. The study, published in PLOS ONE, analyzed peat core data to infer environmental and human occupation changes over 1,000 years.
A study has discovered that humans are disrupting a fundamental pattern in ecosystems, which dates back at least 66 million years. The U-shaped relationship between diet and size in modern land mammals has been found to span across multiple vertebrate groups, including birds, reptiles, and fish.
Ancient artworks from Minoan civilization of ancient Greece depict domesticated saffron, suggesting cultivation around 1600 BCE. Genetic studies support this origin, placing the modern saffron crocus with its three genomes as a result of natural selection in Bronze Age Greece.
Scientists applied a social networking algorithm to the fossil record to track changes in ancient communities during mass extinctions. The study found that community losses did not always correlate with biodiversity decline, suggesting complex ecological interactions.
Researchers tracked a Mongolian gazelle traveling over 18,000 km, while new studies on raccoon movement inform improved vaccination strategies against wildlife disease. In contrast, urban bird species exhibit varying body weights and lifespans based on city characteristics.
A 100-million-year-old cockroach fossil provides insights into its sensory organs, which suggest the species lived in bright environments during the day. The study found that the extinct species had well-developed eyes and a unique pattern of receptors on its antenna, indicating it may have used these to communicate between sexes.
Researchers sequenced ancient DNA to understand lion and bear movement between continents. The study found that warm temperatures before the last Ice Age may have caused a change in plant abundance, affecting herbivores and predators.
A new study in Scientific Reports reveals the first palaeontological site with multiple, exceptionally complete dinosaur skeletons from Italy. The Villaggio del Pescatore site in north-eastern Italy has yielded seven individuals of Tethyshadros insularis, the biggest and most complete dinosaur ever found in Italy.
A new marine reptile fossil from 130-million-year-old rocks in Colombia has revealed a unique dentition allowing it to eat large prey. The discovery clarifies the evolutionary tree of ichthyosaurs and tests new ideas on their evolution.
Researchers reconstruct Land of Israel climate at end of last ice age using plant remains, revealing significant temperature and precipitation differences that impacted the transition from hunter-gatherer to settled agricultural societies. The study provides insights into the region's flora and its response to past climate change.
A new study analyzing microfossils in European glaciers reveals earlier-than-expected evidence of air pollution and the roots of modern invasive species problems. The analysis provides non-stop context for major historical events like droughts or famines, helping scientists better understand current climate change.
The study suggests that unsustainable wood harvesting by the Ancestral Puebloans occurred around 2000 years ago in Chaco Canyon, USA. This practice had significant ecosystem impacts, which are still being felt today.
A new study suggests that human presence on the Falkland Islands dates back to around 3450 B.C.E., with evidence of fire activity and stone projectile points consistent with Indigenous South American technology. The research indicates that people likely visited the islands for short-term stays, leaving few cultural materials behind.
Ancient human societies adapted to tropical ecosystem dynamics, revealing their adaptability and resourcefulness. By studying these past interactions with the environment, scientists can better understand how to conserve tropical environments.