Changes in vegetation during the Late Cretaceous period led to the creation of more diverse and lush ecosystems. Researchers believe these shifts significantly influenced the evolution of mammals.
A new study by scientists from the University of Bristol in the UK has revealed an unexpected insight into the evolution of mammals. While it was previously believed that most advanced mammals began living on Earth after the Chicxulub asteroid impact that led to the extinction of the dinosaurs 66 million years ago, new data published in the journal Paleontology suggests that adaptation to terrestrial life began millions of years earlier.
The researchers analyzed fossilized limb bones of marsupial mammals from western North America, one of the few regions to have preserved fossil records from this period. Studying fine bone fragments, rather than complete skeletons, allowed scientists to measure changes in locomotor behavior in ancient mammals.
Changes in vegetation during the Late Cretaceous (with the emergence of flowering plants) led to the creation of more diverse and lush ecosystems. Researchers believe these shifts significantly influenced the evolution of mammals, as they developed new locomotion methods and adapted to life on land to exploit available resources.
"The plant environment had a greater influence on the evolution of Cretaceous mammals than any dinosaurs," said Christina Yanis, who supervised the research.
The research provides evidence of early mammalian adaptation before the extinction of the dinosaurs, reveals the role of environmental changes in shaping evolution, and opens new avenues for understanding adaptation to current climate change.
These findings are important not only for evolutionary biology, but also for understanding contemporary ecological processes, as past adaptations can provide clues to predicting future changes.