Many birds on Rēkohu Chatham Islands show how ‘island syndrome’ influences evolution – they are distinct but remain closely related to species on the mainland.
Articles on fossil bones
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By examining fossilized bone tissue, a new study finds rapid growth was an asset for survivors of the Great Dying 250 million years ago, Earth’s largest mass extinction event.
Some of these giant vegetarians were as tall as a 3-story building. Microscopic analysis of their teeth, bones and eggshells reveals how they grew, what they ate and even their body temperature.
The findings have repercussions today: it is clear that slow-growing animals will be the most vulnerable to extinction amid shifting climates.
Top contributors
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DeWitt Wallace Professor of Biology and Geology, Macalester College
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Professor, Biological Sciences Department, University of Cape Town
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Postdoctoral Research Fellow in Molecular Ecology, University of Otago
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Chief executive of Hokotehi Moriori Trust, Indigenous Knowledge
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Curator of Vertebrates, Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa
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Associate Professor in Ancient DNA, University of Otago