The Extinction of Megaherbivores Affected the Evolution of Plants, New Study Shows
- 2 years ago
The Extinction of Megaherbivores , Affected the Evolution of Plants, , New Study Shows.
'Newsweek' reports that the extinction
of the dinosaurs may have had a profound
impact on the evolution of plant life on Earth. .
According to researchers at the German Centre
for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv), , about 25 million years after the dinosaurs were
wiped out, the size of fruit had increased while
plants' defensive features regressed. .
According to researchers at the German Centre
for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv), , about 25 million years after the dinosaurs were
wiped out, the size of fruit had increased while
plants' defensive features regressed. .
The iDiv team analyzed fossils and living palms today
to trace the evolutionary developments of plants
during and after the absence of megaherbivores. .
The iDiv team analyzed fossils and living palms today
to trace the evolutionary developments of plants
during and after the absence of megaherbivores. .
The team confirmed that many palm species of
that time bore large fruits and were covered with
spines and thorns on their trunks and leaves. .
We were thus able to refute the previous
scientific assumption that the presence
of large palm fruits depended
exclusively on megaherbivores, Dr. Renske Onstein, Head of the Evolution & Adaptation Group at iDiv and Leipzig University, via 'Newsweek'.
We, therefore, assume that the lack
of influence of large herbivores led to denser
vegetations in which plants with larger seeds
and fruits had an evolutionary advantage, Dr. Renske Onstein, Head of the Evolution & Adaptation Group at iDiv and Leipzig University, via 'Newsweek'.
However, during the megaherbivore gap,
the number of palm species
with defensive traits decreased. .
Defense traits without predators apparently
no longer offered evolutionary advantages.
However, they returned in most palm
species when new megaherbivores
evolved, in contrast to the changes
in fruits, which persisted, Dr. Renske Onstein, Head of the Evolution & Adaptation Group at iDiv and Leipzig University, via 'Newsweek'.
'Newsweek' reports that understanding how extinction affected plant evolution could help in predicting future ecological adaptations. .
The current extinction of species due to hunting and climate change may lead to trait variations in plant communities and ecosystems in the near future.
'Newsweek' reports that the extinction
of the dinosaurs may have had a profound
impact on the evolution of plant life on Earth. .
According to researchers at the German Centre
for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv), , about 25 million years after the dinosaurs were
wiped out, the size of fruit had increased while
plants' defensive features regressed. .
According to researchers at the German Centre
for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv), , about 25 million years after the dinosaurs were
wiped out, the size of fruit had increased while
plants' defensive features regressed. .
The iDiv team analyzed fossils and living palms today
to trace the evolutionary developments of plants
during and after the absence of megaherbivores. .
The iDiv team analyzed fossils and living palms today
to trace the evolutionary developments of plants
during and after the absence of megaherbivores. .
The team confirmed that many palm species of
that time bore large fruits and were covered with
spines and thorns on their trunks and leaves. .
We were thus able to refute the previous
scientific assumption that the presence
of large palm fruits depended
exclusively on megaherbivores, Dr. Renske Onstein, Head of the Evolution & Adaptation Group at iDiv and Leipzig University, via 'Newsweek'.
We, therefore, assume that the lack
of influence of large herbivores led to denser
vegetations in which plants with larger seeds
and fruits had an evolutionary advantage, Dr. Renske Onstein, Head of the Evolution & Adaptation Group at iDiv and Leipzig University, via 'Newsweek'.
However, during the megaherbivore gap,
the number of palm species
with defensive traits decreased. .
Defense traits without predators apparently
no longer offered evolutionary advantages.
However, they returned in most palm
species when new megaherbivores
evolved, in contrast to the changes
in fruits, which persisted, Dr. Renske Onstein, Head of the Evolution & Adaptation Group at iDiv and Leipzig University, via 'Newsweek'.
'Newsweek' reports that understanding how extinction affected plant evolution could help in predicting future ecological adaptations. .
The current extinction of species due to hunting and climate change may lead to trait variations in plant communities and ecosystems in the near future.