Publications by authors named "A D Bercovici"
We report a time-calibrated stratigraphic section in Colorado that contains unusually complete fossils of mammals, reptiles, and plants and elucidates the drivers and tempo of biotic recovery during the poorly known first million years after the Cretaceous-Paleogene mass extinction (KPgE). Within ~100 thousand years (ka) post-KPgE, mammalian taxonomic richness doubled, and maximum mammalian body mass increased to near pre-KPgE levels. A threefold increase in maximum mammalian body mass and dietary niche specialization occurred at ~300 ka post-KPgE, concomitant with increased megafloral standing species richness.
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- The fossil record and molecular studies reveal a rapid emergence of modern birds (Neornithes) after the K-Pg extinction event, despite the extinction of many related species.
- Research indicates that early Neornithes were primarily non-arboreal, adapting to the ecological changes post-extinction, while later birds exhibited a shift toward arboreal lifestyles.
- The K-Pg impact caused extensive forest destruction, which likely favored non-arboreal birds, leading to a diverse array of bird ecologies as they evolved in the aftermath.