Dinosaurs were “ecosystem engineers” who prevented the growth of thick forests. Their disappearance led to major environmental changes, including rivers, and these changes are reflected in geological records.
This is evidenced by the results of a study by scientists from the University of Michigan (USA), reports Eurekalert.
It was noted that scientists have long noticed the amazing difference in the rocks formed immediately before the extinction of dinosaurs and immediately after that, but explained it, increasing the sea level, the coincidence of circumstances or other non -biological reasons.
Nevertheless, a new study showed that after the extinction of dinosaurs, forests were able to bloom: it had a strong influence on the rivers – the new thick forests stabilized the precipitate and directed water to the rivers with a wide medium.
Dinosaurs were probably huge “ecosystem engineers” who destroyed most of the available vegetation and supported the earth between open and overgrown trees and overgrown weeds, the article says. – As a result, the rivers flowed openly, without wide bags, throughout the region.
As part of the study, scientists studied places in the western part of the United States, which reflected the sudden geological changes that occurred on the border of the dinosaur era and the mammalian era, a layer of rocks called Fort Ioone.
Dinosaurs died out after a large asteroid crashed into the Yukatan peninsula. Scientists who were looking for evidence of the fall of the asteroid noticed that the rocks that covered the fragments were very different from the rocks below.
Fort John was formed after the extinction of the dinosaur and looks like a set of multi-colored rocks-layers, “similar to striped pajamas”:
- It was believed that bright color layers of rocks are deposits of ponds, which, according to some researchers, were formed during the period of increasing sea level;
- Nevertheless, the stone formation contrasted sharply with the formation under it, in which there were water -toe land, poorly developed soils, reminiscent of what could be seen on the outer parts of the floodplain;
- Researchers suspected that a change in geology was in any way associated with mass extinction of dinosaurs. They began to investigate what types of environment were represented by these various breeds.
We realized that the “pajamas” were actually not in all deposits of ponds. According to the researchers, this is deposits of a point bar, or deposits that make up the inside of the large meadra in the river. – Thus, instead of calm, quiet water, we actually see a very active inner part of Meandra.
Large river deposits were formulated by layers, which consisted mainly of lignite, low -quality coal formed from carbonized plant substance. Probably, they were formed from the stabilizing effect of dense forests, thanks to which the rivers will be less likely to appear from the shores.
Stabilizing the rivers, you block the stream of clay, silt and sand on distant floodplains, so mostly accumulated remains, scientists say.
Similar changes in the layers of stones that correspond to the time of the disappearance of dinosaurs were found in another place-basin Bighorn, that is, they are not limited by the Uunion fort.
According to researchers, this discovery demonstrates how quickly the earth can change in response to catastrophic events.
Very often, when we think about how life has changed over time and how the environment has changed, we usually believe that the climate is changing, and, therefore, it has a certain impact on life, ”scientists emphasize. – Few people think that life itself can affect the climate and landscape. The arrow does not move in only one direction.
Source: Eurekalert
Scientists were clearly known as a disaster dinosaur (photo, video).
Source: Racurs
I am David Wyatt, a professional writer and journalist for Buna Times. I specialize in the world section of news coverage, where I bring to light stories and issues that affect us globally. As a graduate of Journalism, I have always had the passion to spread knowledge through writing.