How Dinosaurs Influenced the Evolution of Fruits

Fast Summary

• Research shows that dinosaurs considerably influenced fruit seed evolution by altering ecosystems,especially forest light levels,which suppressed the growth of larger seeds.
• After dinosaurs went extinct, forests became denser wiht reduced light in understories, leading to evolutionary pressures for larger seed sizes in plants.
• Giant mammals had a similar impact on seed sizes during their existence but also contributed differently as ecosystems adapted to their presence.
• Humans today are playing a role comparable to prehistoric megafauna through activities such as logging and agriculture, shaping plant evolution and ecosystem dynamics.
• experts highlight complexities in predicting future fruit seed evolution due to rapid human technological advancements and disruptions of normal ecological patterns.

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