During the Cretaceous period, sauropods played a pivotal role as ecosystem engineers, transforming their environments by knocking down trees and distributing nutrients via their waste. This dynamic not only reshaped landscapes but also influenced plant life, particularly in seed size. Following the extinction of most dinosaurs, paleontologists observed a marked increase in seed size in the fossil record, suggesting a potential link between the demise of these giants and evolutionary changes in flora. Host Emily Kwong discusses these ecological shifts with ecologist Chris Doughty, framing sauropods as early influencers of their time.
Sauropods, major ecosystem engineers of the Cretaceous, reshaped landscapes by knocking down trees and spreading nutrients through their waste, crucially impacting ecosystems.
A notable shift occurred in the fossil record around the time of the dinosaurs' extinction, as seed sizes increased, prompting questions about the influence of these extinct giants.
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