Mammals Inherit the Earth

Explore the fascinating aftermath of the Cretaceous-Paleogene extinction event in this 55-minute lecture from the Royal Tyrrell Museum Speaker Series. Delve into how the K/Pg extinction wiped out the dinosaurs and paved the way for mammalian dominance. Examine the evidence for extraterrestrial impact and Deccan volcanism as potential causes of the mass extinction. Investigate the Hell Creek Study System and its importance in understanding the K-Pg boundary. Analyze fossil records and geological data to trace the ecological diversification of mammals following the extinction event. Compare endangered species today to the ecological disturbances of the late Cretaceous period. Discover the methodological approaches used to study dental complexity across the K-Pg boundary and its implications for understanding mammalian evolution. Gain insights into the winners and losers of this pivotal moment in Earth's history, presented by Greg Wilson from the University of Washington, Seattle.

Intro
The Ups and Downs of the last 600 m.y.
Cretaceous-Paleogene (K-Pg) mass extinction
K-Pg extraterrestrial impact
K-Pg Deccan volcanism Mahabaleshwar, India
K-Pg extinction hypotheses
Cretaceous terrestrial vertebrate localities
Paleocene terrestrial vertebrate localities
The Hell Creek Study System
Coastal lowland setting
K-Pg boundary layer (2 cm thick)
Temporal framework
Dinosaur icons
Prospect & surface collect
Place fossil locs in stratigraphic context
Record geology & collect fossiliferous sediment
Screen-wash fossiliferous sediment
New fossils show some ecological diversification
K-Pg: A watershed event for mammals taxonomic richness
K-Pg mammals of northeastern MT
Cranium-NDGS 431
Mammalian fossil sampling
The anatomy of the K-Pg mass extinction
Endangered species 3,600 Black rhinos
Ecological disturbance
or limping to the finish line ✓ Declining faunal evenness and relative abundances of metatherians implies ecological instability during the last 500 k.y of the Cretaceous
Who were the winners & losers?
Methodological Premise
Homology-free dental complexity
Modern Study Carnivorans & Rodents
Dental complexity across the K-Pg