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Early humans evolved in ecosystems unlike any found today
EurekAlert! ^ | University of Utah

Posted on 10/07/2019 8:00:35 PM PDT by SunkenCiv

Because putting together the puzzle of millions-of-years-old ecosystems is a difficult task, many studies have reconstructed the environments by drawing analogies with present-day African ecosystems, such as the Serengeti. A study led by a University of Utah scientist calls into question such approaches and suggests that the vast majority of human evolution occurred in ecosystems unlike any found today...

To test for differences between modern and ancient environments, the researchers analyzed a dataset of more than 200 present-day African mammal communities and more than 100 fossil communities spanning the past 7 million years in eastern Africa, a time period encompassing all of human evolution. They found that prior to 700,000 years ago, mammal communities looked far different from those today. For example, fossil communities supported a greater diversity of megaherbivores, species over 2,000 pounds, such as elephants. Likewise, the dietary structure of fossil communities frequently departed from those seen today, with patterns of grass- and leaf-eating species fluctuating in abundance. Around 1 million years ago, fossil communities began transitioning to a more modern makeup, which the authors suggest is the likely the outcome of long-term grassland expansion coupled with arid climate pulses...

Eastern Africa is a boon for mammal fossils, making it an ideal region to piece together ancient ecosystems over the past 7 million years. With their extensive database of both ancient and modern mammal communities, the researchers focused on three traits: diet, body size, and digestive strategy. For all of these traits, they found that the makeup of ancient herbivore communities differed significantly from those of today. This is key, as herbivores directly shape the structure of ecosystems in ways that impact a wide variety of animal and plant species.

(Excerpt) Read more at eurekalert.org ...


TOPICS: History; Science; Travel
KEYWORDS: archaeology; godsgravesglyphs
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To: SunkenCiv

I’m completely out of my elephant, here. What was the middle thing?

;o]

‘Face


21 posted on 10/08/2019 2:04:30 AM PDT by Monkey Face (As much as we want to hold our kids, we have to trust that God's Hands are bigger than ours. FB)
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To: SunkenCiv
...suggest is the likely the outcome of long-term grassland expansion ...

Does that mean they cut down the rain forests and put future generations at risk?

Sorry - couldn't help myself....the voices are really loud this morning....

22 posted on 10/08/2019 3:20:44 AM PDT by trebb (Don't howl about illegal leeches, or Trump in general, while not donating to FR - it's hypocritical.)
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To: gleeaikin

I have been for many years now. Geological evidence shows those cycles have been happening much longer than that. Unfortunately we can just recently only go back roughly 2.7 million years with the ice core samples. Whats interesting is that at around 1 million years ago they were more frequent at about every 40k than they are now at about every 124k. The cycle has slowed in frequency over time.

But there are many factors that could have caused this change the article mentions. The equator could have physically been in a different location around earth. The biggest climate influence could have changed which would be the ocean currents. Extraterrestrial events, Volcanic activity, many different things that coincidentally could have happened at the same time, Etc.

Something else interesting is that the earth timeline has been in a cold cycle much more than a warm cycle to the tune of about 85% glacial to 15% interglacial cycles. The cold glacial periods last a lot longer than the relatively short warm interglacial periods. So we had better enjoy it while we can, the interglacial summer is about over. :)


23 posted on 10/08/2019 4:04:16 AM PDT by Openurmind
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To: zeestephen

I think frequency of discovery and where they happened to be located would affect that. There may be just more discoveries along that particular area because it’s a hot spot where fossils happen to get exposed. And here is where the model could be flawed a bit, there may be future discoveries later that completely change this map and frequency of discoveries and locations. They just haven’t been found and put on the map yet. They are elsewhere too, just buried deeper and still undiscovered. Someone will dig a pipeline or build a road and more will be found.


24 posted on 10/08/2019 4:17:39 AM PDT by Openurmind
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To: SunkenCiv

After causaing global warming these white Trumpist societies moved on to kill everything, poison the air, water, and food, and destroy all that was liberal and therefore GOOD :)


25 posted on 10/08/2019 4:47:19 AM PDT by RArtfulogerDodger (peace, Love, and Joy To All, Especially Obama and Democrats)
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To: Openurmind
The 85/15 Earth timeline for glacial patterns would put a damper on the climate activist....

But then again it is not about stopping climate change but power, as in One World Gov.

26 posted on 10/08/2019 6:16:27 AM PDT by Deaf Smith (When a Texan takes his chances, chances will be taken that's fore sure)
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To: Monkey Face

The trunk? ;^)


27 posted on 10/08/2019 7:12:59 AM PDT by SunkenCiv (Imagine an imaginary menagerie manager imagining managing an imaginary menagerie.)
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To: null and void

All those prehistoric takeout joints are what did ‘em in.


28 posted on 10/08/2019 7:14:55 AM PDT by SunkenCiv (Imagine an imaginary menagerie manager imagining managing an imaginary menagerie.)
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To: SunkenCiv

Oh I thought the Flintstones caused it to change. You mean nature caused it.


29 posted on 10/08/2019 7:17:08 AM PDT by Deplorable American1776 (Proud to be a DeplorableAmerican with a Deplorable Family...even the dog is, too. :-))
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To: RArtfulogerDodger

:^)


30 posted on 10/08/2019 7:24:38 AM PDT by SunkenCiv (Imagine an imaginary menagerie manager imagining managing an imaginary menagerie.)
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To: Deplorable American1776

We’re the modern stone age family.


31 posted on 10/08/2019 7:34:57 AM PDT by SunkenCiv (Imagine an imaginary menagerie manager imagining managing an imaginary menagerie.)
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To: SunkenCiv

Nah. That was probably a wall...

;o]


32 posted on 10/08/2019 7:42:29 AM PDT by Monkey Face (As much as we want to hold our kids, we have to trust that God's Hands are bigger than ours. FB)
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To: Deaf Smith

Sure does, and CO2 levels were actually higher during the interglacial before this last ice age than they are now. Glad to see I am not the only one to understand the bigger picture about the globalists.

Here is a site to check out. Robert keeps track pretty well.

https://www.iceagenow.info/


33 posted on 10/08/2019 7:50:48 AM PDT by Openurmind
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To: zeestephen

Both, or neither. :^)


34 posted on 10/08/2019 8:02:38 AM PDT by SunkenCiv (Imagine an imaginary menagerie manager imagining managing an imaginary menagerie.)
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To: Openurmind

A lot of people don’t realize that fossilized ape remains are extremely rare. I think the first ever chimpanzee fossil was only found a decade ago. Simply put, apes or humans don’t generally die on muddy banks to be covered before the body is scavenged.


35 posted on 10/08/2019 11:35:11 AM PDT by Raymann
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To: Raymann

Yep... Fossils of any and all species are actually very rare to find. Just finding one bone in a new location can put a whole town on the map and create a paleontology tourist industry.

Finding new fossils is a pretty big deal because it is indeed so rare.


36 posted on 10/08/2019 11:55:38 AM PDT by Openurmind
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To: SunkenCiv

Aw, doncha know global climate was static until evil humans started emitting CO2 during the Industrial Revolution? Just ask Mikey Mann at Pedophile U. He’ll even show you his stick.


37 posted on 10/08/2019 1:36:22 PM PDT by colorado tanker
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To: Openurmind; Deaf Smith; SunkenCiv; BenLurkin; blam

The fact that we are likely headed for a long decent into cold means we should not be wasting our fossil fuels today. We should be using wind and solar and saving those fuels for freezing weather. Also we need to get serious about reducing the world population. And it does not need to be done the Chinese way or by rampant abortions. Look at all the migration troubles throughout the world today. Imagine what is going to happen if the temperature keeps going up, droughts become more severe, storms more violent, and significant areas of seacoast and urban areas threatened and overcome by sea level rise. Then if the big freeze starts suddenly, vast migrations to warmer areas. Already we have seen the Syria migration problem. Much of this whole problem caused by severe drought driving people to the cities in Syria and a very unsympathetic ruler.

Right now, what I fear is the slowing and stoppage of the North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO). That is water heating up in the tropics, flowing North as the Gulf Stream, the water freezing into fresh water ice in the far north and the saltier and heavier water that remains sinking deep and flowing back toward the equator to repeat the process. With so much less ice seeming to form in far north waters, this circulation process can be in danger. Without the warmth of the Gulf Stream, British Isles and Europe would become far colder. Crops would start failing, and the people from Africa and the middle east would be even less welcome and desperate. Part of the cause of the French Revolution was economic failure as vulcanism in Iceland following 1783 caused multiple crop disruptions that even our French ambassador, Benjamin Franklin, commented on.


38 posted on 10/08/2019 7:52:21 PM PDT by gleeaikin
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To: gleeaikin

Much needed diesel and heating oil will gel and become useless. Don’t count on fossil fuels doing any good to help anything at that point. The population issue will then take care of it’s self. There will be only small clans of those with the knowledge to survive on limited resources and without modern technology. We will once again be back in the stone age and maybe survive as a species to start all over again someday.


39 posted on 10/08/2019 8:14:18 PM PDT by Openurmind
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To: Openurmind; SunkenCiv; blam; BenLurkin; 2ndDivisionVet; All

Unless there is catastrophic nuclear war, like a thousand or more bombs being used, I doubt we will go back to the stone age. However, we could easily end up in the iron age, perhaps something like 16th or 17th century Europe. I have read several books on the aftermath of war with electromagnetic pulse technology. Basically, only a few non-computerized vehicles usable in one case, and in another only horses and no guns, but arrows for defense.


40 posted on 10/08/2019 9:30:55 PM PDT by gleeaikin
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