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Re: Why Did Mammals Survive the 'K/T Extinction'?
On Wed, Feb 3rd, 2010 at 3:13 PM, Paul Heinrich <email@example.com> wrote:
> Probing Question: Why did mammals survive the 'K/T extinction'?
> Thursday by Nick Bascom, Research/Penn State, January 28, 2010
> Why Did Mammals Survive the 'K/T Extinction'? Science Daily
> January 31, 2010,
Studies in the areas that were wiped clean of life around Mount St.Helens
insect/arachnid populations are amongst the first to recolonise devastated
areas. Even before plant
life begins to appear, an ouroboros-like insect/arachnid ecosystem can appear
due to them
constantly flying or being blown into the barren areas, surviving on the only
availalel - each other.
If this was also the case in prehistory, then small insectivores may have been
more likely to
recolonise such devastated areas once arthropod communities took hold. This may
small mammals and birds a slight edge, since they wouldn't have to hold out
nearly as long for a
predatable ecosystem to redevelop as larger predators or herbivores would have.
Certainly in modern deserts with little or no vegetation cover, small mammals
and birds tend to be
the most abundant of endotherms (although they're still outnumbered by reptiles
GIS Specialist Australian Dinosaurs
Melbourne, Australia http://home.alphalink.com.au/~dannj