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Why were mammals able to survive the great extinctions that occured during the Cretaceous Period?
Wiki User
∙ 14y ago
How the mammals survived the extinction event 65 million years ago is still a hotly debated subject in science.
The most commonly held theory is that mammals were small and adaptable. Larger animals find it much harder to adapt when faced with a crisis such as the one that saw the end of the dinosaurs. They need to eat far more and are much more susceptible to changes in the environment.
Wiki User
∙ 14y ago
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What would survive in a mass extinction?
Typically, cold-blooded animals are more likely to survive mass extinctions than their warmblooded counterparts. Animals who are lower in the food chain are also more likely to survive. Mass extinctions, however, vary in their causes, and so also vary in their effects.
What unique traits probably helped mammals survive?
The unique traits that helped mammals survive are called adaptations. Some of their adaptations include their hair, mammary glands, and three specialized middle-ear bones.
Why do mass extinctions promote rapid evolution of surviving species?
Basically, this question doesn't have any one answer (due to different conditions of previous mass extinctions). But from a broad view, the change in environment (e.g weather, food sources etc) forced species to evolve or disappear. For example, species as large as most dinosaurs could not survive in todays world due to the fact that they would deplete their food source in a short period of time. During the cretaceous period, the climate was far warmer than now, allowing vegetation to flourish, which in turn allowed herbivores to flourish, thus providing food for predators. Change in climate also contributed dramatically, as reptiles (the previous dominant species on the planet) rely on an external heat source and being as large as they were, they needed a lot of it. Essentially we all evolved from the same place, what you see in species today is the result of trial and error (on a genetic level) over millions of years in order to adapt as efficiently as possible to survive in a volatile and unpredictable world. You even find this in different races around the world who have adapted different skin types, facial features etc to suit the environment in which they have lived over many generations. So essentially nothing really caused rapid evolution. Everything was in the process of evolving, however the changes which caused mass extinctions just changed the outcome of the end result. As a matter of fact there is a lot of evidence pointing towards the fact that everything still is evolving.
What animals do mammals need to survive?
Most animals only need a mom. The mom will feed them milk until the can hunt, search eat, etc. The Female mother, will teach them mostly everything......Female Animals Rock....:) Mantha Erin
Do all living organisms need the endocrine system to survive?
yes they do. this is how they are able to respond o stimuli such a flight, fright or to fight
What effects have mass extinctions had on history life?
Mass extinctions have the effect of eliminating a large number of species, which leaves a wide variety of niches open to new species. Whichever species survive the mass extinction quickly evolve into many new forms to fill the empty niches. The Permian-Triassic Extinction Event left niches open to the dinosaurs, and the Cretaceous-Tertiary Extinction eliminated dinosaurs, leaving niches open to mammals.
What are mass extinctions followed by?
Mass extinctions are usually followed by long periods of low or absent population. Some species always survive a mass extinction, following the Darwinian law of survival. When the dinosaurs died out the mammals began to prevail and eventually took over.
What helps mammals survive?
Mammals usaully survive by instinct
Why do fewer mammals and birds can survive after a storm?
There are many mammals and birds that can survive after a storm. However there are fewer mammals and birds that can survive after a storm than what can.
Name some birds that survived mass extinctions.?
If they went extinct they wouldn't survive
What would survive in a mass extinction?
Typically, cold-blooded animals are more likely to survive mass extinctions than their warmblooded counterparts. Animals who are lower in the food chain are also more likely to survive. Mass extinctions, however, vary in their causes, and so also vary in their effects.
What was the purpose of the surviving of the holocaust?
generally the purpose was to survive. In certain corners there was a need to survive to tell the tale of what occured.
What is the underlying cause of all natural species extinctions?
The species could not adapt quickly enough to their changing environment to survive.
What is the latest dinosaur to have lived?
Triceratops, from the Late Cretaceous Period. They had a very good armor support to help them to survive. The Olorotitan (gigantic swan) is also from the Late Cretaceous Period of history.
Why does many green plants survive in a world without mammals but mammals cant survive without green plants?
mammals cant survive without green plants , because that is their food and they live off of the plants. Green plant can live without mammals, because they can make their own food with photosynthesis.
Are mammals babies independent?
nope we r mammals and we can't survive at our young age so the answer is no
Are snapping turtles mammals?
Snapping turtles are not mammals, but reptiles. Turtles lay eggs, which mammals don't, that are able to survive out of water
