Ascent of dinosaurs linked to an iridium anomaly at the Triassic-Jurassic boundary

P. E. Olsen; D. V. Kent; H. D. Sues; C. Koeberl; H. Huber; A. Montanari; E. C. Rainforth; S. J. Fowell; M. J. Szajna; B. W. Hartline

doi:10.1126/science.1065522

Ascent of dinosaurs linked to an iridium anomaly at the Triassic-Jurassic boundary

P. E. Olsen, D. V. Kent, H. D. Sues, C. Koeberl, H. Huber, A. Montanari, E. C. Rainforth, S. J. Fowell, M. J. Szajna, B. W. Hartline

School of Arts and Sciences, Earth & Planetary Sciences

Rutgers, The State University

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

276 Scopus citations

Abstract

Analysis of tetrapod footprints and skeletal material from more than 70 localities in eastern North America shows that large theropod dinosaurs appeared less than 10,000 years after the Triassic-Jurassic boundary and less than 30,000 years after the last Triassic taxa, synchronous with a terrestrial mass extinction. This extraordinary turnover is associated with an iridium anomaly (up to 285 parts per trillion, with an average maximum of 141 parts per trillion) and a fern spore spike, suggesting that a bolide impact was the cause. Eastern North American dinosaurian diversity reached a stable maximum less than 100,000 years after the boundary, marking the establishment of dinosaur-dominated communities that prevailed for the next 135 million years.

Original language	American English
Pages (from-to)	1305-1307
Number of pages	3
Journal	Science
Volume	296
Issue number	5571
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1126/science.1065522
State	Published - May 17 2002

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abstract = "Analysis of tetrapod footprints and skeletal material from more than 70 localities in eastern North America shows that large theropod dinosaurs appeared less than 10,000 years after the Triassic-Jurassic boundary and less than 30,000 years after the last Triassic taxa, synchronous with a terrestrial mass extinction. This extraordinary turnover is associated with an iridium anomaly (up to 285 parts per trillion, with an average maximum of 141 parts per trillion) and a fern spore spike, suggesting that a bolide impact was the cause. Eastern North American dinosaurian diversity reached a stable maximum less than 100,000 years after the boundary, marking the establishment of dinosaur-dominated communities that prevailed for the next 135 million years.",

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AU - Olsen, P. E.

AU - Kent, D. V.

AU - Sues, H. D.

AU - Koeberl, C.

AU - Huber, H.

AU - Montanari, A.

AU - Rainforth, E. C.

AU - Fowell, S. J.

AU - Szajna, M. J.

AU - Hartline, B. W.

PY - 2002/5/17

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N2 - Analysis of tetrapod footprints and skeletal material from more than 70 localities in eastern North America shows that large theropod dinosaurs appeared less than 10,000 years after the Triassic-Jurassic boundary and less than 30,000 years after the last Triassic taxa, synchronous with a terrestrial mass extinction. This extraordinary turnover is associated with an iridium anomaly (up to 285 parts per trillion, with an average maximum of 141 parts per trillion) and a fern spore spike, suggesting that a bolide impact was the cause. Eastern North American dinosaurian diversity reached a stable maximum less than 100,000 years after the boundary, marking the establishment of dinosaur-dominated communities that prevailed for the next 135 million years.

AB - Analysis of tetrapod footprints and skeletal material from more than 70 localities in eastern North America shows that large theropod dinosaurs appeared less than 10,000 years after the Triassic-Jurassic boundary and less than 30,000 years after the last Triassic taxa, synchronous with a terrestrial mass extinction. This extraordinary turnover is associated with an iridium anomaly (up to 285 parts per trillion, with an average maximum of 141 parts per trillion) and a fern spore spike, suggesting that a bolide impact was the cause. Eastern North American dinosaurian diversity reached a stable maximum less than 100,000 years after the boundary, marking the establishment of dinosaur-dominated communities that prevailed for the next 135 million years.

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Ascent of dinosaurs linked to an iridium anomaly at the Triassic-Jurassic boundary

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