Short Wave Love Fruit? Thank (Dinosaur) Mass Extinction
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Mar 14, 2025 
Chris Doughty, an ecologist from Northern Arizona University, dives into the remarkable world after the dinosaurs. He discusses how their extinction triggered a fruit explosion, paving the way for modern ecosystems. Doughty explores the connection between the demise of these giants and the evolution of larger seeds and fruit-bearing plants. He also draws parallels between dinosaurs and today’s ecological influencers, urging reflection on our role in current extinction trends and their impacts on biodiversity.
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Sauropods: The Original Ecosystem Engineers
- Sauropods, the largest terrestrial animals ever, acted as ecosystem engineers.
- They shaped their environment by knocking down trees, distributing nutrients, and moving seeds through their poop.
From Dinosaurs to Fruit to Primates
- After the dinosaur extinction, darker forests favored larger seeds, leading to a fruit boom.
- This provided an evolutionary advantage to primates who could climb and eat fruit.
Megafauna Extinction and its Impact on Plants
- A later extinction of large mammals, including woolly mammoths and giant sloths, also impacted plant life.
- Many trees, like avocado and chocolate, coevolved with these mammals for seed dispersal.