Study ancient fossils together to reveal new information about the end of the Triassic extinction

Shocking new details into one of the deadliest disasters in world history have been revealed by a team of criticized by researchers with the USC Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences. More than deepening our understanding of the Triassic mass extinction, their research offers important lessons for today’s environmental challenges.

About 200 million years ago, Earth experienced its fourth major event. It was caused by a large increase in greenhouse gases due to volcanic activity, the event caused global warming and a major change in the biosphere of the planet, ending the Triassic period and introducing the Jurassic. Many scientists now believe that the world is in the midst of another mass extinction, triggered in large part by climate change.

Earth scientists at USC Dornsife took a unique approach to analyze the impact of this event on the sea and land, using a new “ecospace framework” to classify animals in the background. their species. It records ecological roles and behaviors—from birds of prey or reefs to herbivores and from sea floor invertebrates to animals. they live in the ground.

“We want to understand not only who lived and who didn’t, but how the roles of different species in the environment changed,” said David Bottjer, professor of Earth sciences, biological sciences and environmental studies at USC Dornsife and a senior thesis. author. “This approach helps us see broader, interconnected patterns of the environment.”

The study, a collaboration between students and faculty at USC Dornsife and the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County, was published in. Proceedings of the Royal Society B.

Life in the sea was miserable, but not like the animals on land

Studies have shown a significant difference in the impact of marine and natural ecosystems. Although both countries suffered greatly, the findings suggest that terrestrial ecosystems were more affected and experienced prolonged instability.

In the ocean, almost 71% of species groups, called genera, have disappeared. Surprisingly, despite this massive loss, the overall structure of marine ecosystems has shown resilience. Carnivores such as sharks, mollusks called ammonites and filter feeders such as sponges and brachiopods, although severely damaged, eventually bounced back.

On the ground, the show was even worse. A staggering 96% of most land species have been destroyed, dramatically reshaping the landscape of life on earth. Large carnivores such as the first dinosaurs and small carnivores suffered greatly, with many changes in their populations and roles in the environment.

“This difference between land and sea tells us the different ways ecosystems respond to threats,” said co-lead author Alison Cribb, who received her Ph.D. in scientific research at USC Dornsife this year and is currently at the University of Southampton in the UK “It also raises important questions about the relationship between biodiversity and the evolution of the environment.”

Signs of climate change from ancient disasters

The study’s findings show more than just historical interest—they have important implications for our economic challenges. current environment. “Understanding past mass extinctions helps us predict and possibly mitigate the effects of current and future environmental disasters,” said lead author Kiersten Formoso, is completing his doctoral studies in vertebrate paleobiology at USC Dornsife and will soon move to a position at Rutgers University.

The parallels between global warming at the end of the Triassic and today’s climate change are striking. “We’re seeing similar patterns now—rapid climate change, loss of biodiversity. Learning how ecosystems responded in the past can inform our conservation efforts today. ” said Bottjer.

The study also provides a rare window into the world as it was over 200 million years ago, he added. “Like a time machine, it gives us a glimpse of life in an era of profound change.”

The study of basic ecology, with its focus on functional roles, offers a new perspective on ancient life, according to Frank Corsetti, professor of Earth Sciences and chair of USC Dornsife’s Department of Earth Sciences. “It’s not just about finding fossils,” he said. “It’s about piecing together the puzzle of ancient ecosystems and how they were used.”

Future businesses will learn from the lessons of the past

As they plan further research, the scientists hope to find out how species and ecosystems can recover after extinction. and how these past events may represent current events due to climate change.

Future research is also planned to examine changes in the dynamic environment during other periods of deep environmental change over time. .

“We’re just scratching the surface,” Cribb said. “There is much to be learned about how life on Earth responds to extreme changes, and this new ecological framework offers great potential to help us do so. that.”

Unique, synergistic spark plug

The research was done, and much of the work was done, during the COVID-19 pandemic, when many other types of research were limited, Bottjer said. “This provided unique conditions that improved and led to the development and completion of this study involving individuals with expertise in a wide variety of paleobiological fields, from microbes to invertebrates to vertebrates, to the sea and the land, and everyone working together towards one goal,” he said.

According to Bottjer, Cribb and Formoso first planned the collaboration with his supervision and Corsetti and important help from the other authors of the study.