A recent study has shed new light on how dinosaurs came to rule the Earth by analyzing over 500 fossilized droppings (coprolites) from roughly 230 million years ago. The analysis shows that dinosaurs persevered because they were not picky eaters, eating everything from insects and fish to plants.
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Reconstructing the Food Web
With enough fossilized poop, it might be possible to reconstruct the entire food web from the period when dinosaurs rose to power. Qvarnström and his colleagues assembled a collection of samples from the Polish Basin in Central Europe, gathering all the fossilized droppings they could, from dinosaurs and other animals as well.
Advanced Techniques Used
The fossilized poop was exhaustively analyzed by a research team of more than a dozen scientists using advanced techniques, including a synchrotron particle accelerator, to probe each piece of excrement down to the molecular level. The results show that while other lizards at the time were focused on one type of plant or other food source, dinosaurs were eating lots of stuff.
Dietary Flexibility Allowed Dinosaurs to Rule
Ultimately, it was this dietary flexibility that allowed dinosaurs to rule the Earth. Qvarnström says, “The first dinosaur ancestors were opportunistic… They were eating insects, fish, plants — everything that they came across.” Over millions of years, this adaptability allowed them to dominate the planet.
More Research Needed
While this study provides new insights into the rise of dinosaurs, more research is needed. Lawrence Tanner, a professor of environmental science at Le Moyne College in Syracuse, N.Y., applauds the new work but notes that it looks at only poo from what is modern-day Central Europe. “What we need now is to try to see if we can see the same sorts of transitions between animal groups at other locations,” he says.
Studying Fossilized Poop
Qvarnström hopes to have a long career focused on coprolites, which he finds “really cool and an underestimated part of paleontology.” He emphasizes the importance of studying fossilized poop in reconstructing the food web from the period when dinosaurs rose to power.
The rise of dinosaurs as the dominant species on land is a well-known story, but the details behind their success have been shrouded in mystery until now. A recent study published in the journal Nature has shed new light on how dinosaurs came to rule the Earth by analyzing over 500 fossilized droppings (coprolites) from roughly 230 million years ago.
Dinosaurs’ Dietary Flexibility
The analysis of these coprolites shows that dinosaurs persevered because they were not picky eaters. Martin Qvarnström, a paleontologist at Uppsala University in Sweden, who led the study, says that “the first dinosaur ancestors were opportunistic” and “they were eating insects, fish, plants — everything that they came across.”
The Importance of Coprolites
Coprolites contain undigested food residues, such as fish scales and insects, which provide a unique window into what was on the menu during the time when dinosaurs rose to power. By analyzing these coprolites, scientists can reconstruct the entire food web from that period.
Conclusion
The analysis of over 500 fossilized droppings has provided new insights into how dinosaurs came to rule the Earth. Their dietary flexibility and adaptability allowed them to dominate other species, ultimately contributing to their success as the dominant species on land. This study highlights the importance of coprolites in understanding the evolution and behavior of ancient animals.
References:
- Qvarnström, M., et al. (2024). Reconstructing the food web from the Polish Basin using coprolites. Nature.
