Paleontology Glossary
essential terms and definitions for paleontology and dinosaur science.
Paleoecology
15 termsTerms related to the ecological relationships, environments, and communities of dinosaurs.
Coprolite Analysis
The chemical and physical examination of fossilized feces to reconstruct diet. A large coprolite attributed โฆ
Ectothermy vs Endothermy Debate
The long-running scientific discussion over whether dinosaurs were warm-blooded or cold-blooded. Modern consensus holds that โฆ
Gigantism
The evolution of exceptionally large body size. Dinosaur gigantism in sauropods may have been driven โฆ
Herd Behavior
Coordinated movement or social grouping of multiple individuals. Sauropod and hadrosaur trackways showing parallel travel โฆ
Island Dwarfism
The evolutionary reduction in body size of large animals isolated on islands, driven by limited โฆ
Mesozoic Flora
The plant communities that coexisted with dinosaurs. Conifers, cycads, ginkgoes, ferns, and horsetails dominated early โฆ
Migration
Seasonal long-distance movement between habitats. Isotopic analysis of dinosaur teeth suggests some large herbivores, like โฆ
Niche Partitioning
The division of ecological resources among co-existing species to reduce competition. In Late Jurassic North โฆ
Pack Hunting
Coordinated cooperative hunting by multiple predators. Pack hunting has been proposed for Deinonychus based on โฆ
Paleo-Biogeography
The study of the geographic distribution of ancient organisms and how continental drift, sea-level changes, โฆ
Paleotemperature
The estimated temperature of ancient environments, reconstructed from isotopic proxies, plant fossils, and sediment types. โฆ
Predator-Prey Ratio
The proportion of predatory to herbivorous species in an ecosystem. Dinosaur faunas show lower predator-to-prey โฆ
Scavenging
Feeding on carcasses of animals that died of other causes. Whether large theropods like T. โฆ
Stable Isotope Analysis
Analysis of ratios of stable isotopes (carbon, oxygen, nitrogen) in fossil teeth and bones to โฆ
Tooth Wear Analysis
Examination of microscopic scratches and pits on tooth surfaces to infer diet. Phytosaurs and herbivorous โฆ