Environmental Change and Body Size Evolution in Neogene Large Mammals

Shan Huang, Alison Eyres, Susanne A. Fritz, Jussi T. Eronen, Juha Saarinen

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingChapterScientificpeer-review

Abstract

Body size is an overarching trait of taxa, related to virtually all aspects of their life history and their relationships with the environment. In this chapter, we use the NOW data to summarize body size evolution of terrestrial mammals during the Neogene. We first present a new method for estimating body size of Proboscidea[aut]Proboscidea (proboscideans) and show consistent trends of increasing sizes through time across Eurasia and Africa with the resulting new dataset. Both continental trends tracked global warmingGlobal warming and cooling events and suggested selection of larger sizes driven by the effects of harshening terrestrial environments. We then use a combined dataset of five mammalian orders to show that large herbivorousHerbivore/herbivorous mammals increased in body sizeBody mass/sizeincrease through time in North America but maintained earlier sizes in Europe. This continental difference reflects the more stable Neogene biomeBiome distribution in Europe and highlights the importance of biogeographic approaches for understanding body size evolution.
Original languageEnglish
Title of host publicationEvolution of Cenozoic Land Mammal Faunas and Ecosystems : 25 Years of the NOW Database of Fossil Mammals
EditorsIsaac Casanovas-Vilar, Lars W. van den Hoek Ostende, Christine M. Janis, Juha Saarinen
Number of pages15
Place of PublicationCham
PublisherSpringer
Publication date2023
Pages79-93
ISBN (Print)978-3-031-17490-2, 978-3-031-17493-3
ISBN (Electronic)978-3-031-17491-9
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 2023
MoE publication typeA3 Book chapter

Publication series

NameVertebrate Paleobiology and Paleoanthropology
PublisherSpringer
VolumePart F1250
ISSN (Print)1877-9077
ISSN (Electronic)1877-9085

Fields of Science

  • 1181 Ecology, evolutionary biology

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