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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.

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Why do we think most extinctions occur as background extinctions?

Most extinctions are believed to occur as background extinctions because they result from gradual changes in environmental conditions, competition, and ecological shifts rather than catastrophic events. These slow processes allow species to gradually decline over time due to factors like habitat loss, climate change, and resource depletion. Background extinctions typically reflect the normal turnover of species, where weaker or less adaptable organisms are outcompeted or unable to survive in changing conditions. This contrasts with mass extinctions, which are sudden and dramatic, affecting a wide range of species simultaneously.


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?

Mammals' unique traits, such as fur or hair for insulation, mammary glands for milk production, and a complex brain for problem-solving and adaptability, have likely contributed to their ability to survive and thrive in various environments. Additionally, their endothermic metabolism allows them to regulate their body temperature internally, giving them an advantage in diverse climates.


What are some non examples of mass extinction?

Non-examples of mass extinction include events such as local extinctions, where specific species disappear from a particular area but survive elsewhere, and background extinctions, which occur gradually over time due to normal evolutionary processes. Additionally, events like the decline of a species due to habitat loss or human impact, without affecting the broader ecosystem, do not qualify as mass extinctions. Furthermore, changes in species populations due to climate fluctuations that do not lead to widespread species loss also fall outside the definition of mass extinction.


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

Related Questions

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 type of reptile did not survive the mass extinction event at the end of the mesozoic era?

The non-avian dinosaurs did not survive the mass extinction event at the end of the Mesozoic era, known as the Cretaceous-Paleogene extinction event. These reptiles went extinct, paving the way for the rise of mammals and birds.


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 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.


Can mammals survive without nipples?

No, mammals cannot survive without nipples because nipples are essential for feeding newborn offspring with milk.


What is the underlying cause of all natural species extinctions?

The species could not adapt quickly enough to their changing environment to survive.


How might extinctions affect the evolution of organisms that survive the event?

The role of mass extinction in evolution. At the most basic level, mass extinctions reduce diversity by killing off specific lineages, and with them, any descendent species they might have given rise to. ... But mass extinction can also play a creative role in evolution, stimulating the growth of other branches.


Are mammals babies independent?

nope we r mammals and we can't survive at our young age so the answer is no