Middle Earth preserved in giant bird dung



https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2018/02/180212160859.htm


The animal waste found in caves and rock shelters of New Zealand were from giant Moa and Kakapo parrots. Finding something as weird as animal waste can surprisingly give important information about past ecosystems. Researchers from Landcare Research found the birds were eating mushrooms and fungi from the forests and in result from eating the mushrooms the animal is unable to produce fertile spores. This does not affect our everyday lives but it has allowed researchers to see how animals and the environment has interacted in the past and are becoming more aware of how something such as animal waste can show so much about our past.

Comments

  1. AnonymousFebruary 14, 2018 at 9:08 AM

    I think this kind of information is useful for more than just studying animals. This kind of research could prepare us for if we discover human poop that has become fossilized, and figure what they eat. Finding what humans ate in the past could always help look at human evolution.

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  2. AnonymousFebruary 15, 2018 at 5:11 AM

    This article is very different. Like you said, it does not affect our everyday lives. But, It can help researchers look at past situations and future. Can help us find info if something was too go wrong.

    ReplyDelete
  3. AnonymousFebruary 15, 2018 at 11:53 AM

    Definitely an interesting read, becoming more aware of our past and making new discoveries through even the smallest things such as poop, goes to show you just how important each small and intricate element of the world we live in effects how we got here today and might help us predict the future even clearer than ever!

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