The Feeding Ecology of Mesozoic Mammals: A Biomechanical Approach

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• Dr Melisa Morales-Garcia, University of Bristol
• Monday 18 October 2021, 18:00-19:00
• Tilley Lecture Theatre, Department of Earth Sciences, Downing Site.

If you have a question about this talk, please contact Eloise Matthews.

Mammals first originated during the Mesozoic but are often overlooked next to their dinosaur contemporaries. As such, much is still unknown about Mesozoic mammals, despite two-thirds of their evolutionary history taking place during this era. Here I explore one of the most important ecological traits of mammals, their diet, from a functional standpoint. To do this, I use a combination of geometric morphometrics and biomechanical techniques, including mechanical advantage and finite element analysis. I pose two main questions: 1) what can the functional performance of mammalian jaws tell us about their diets? And 2) can we use this information to infer the diets of our earliest mammalian ancestors?

This talk is part of the Sedgwick Club talks series.

This talk is included in these lists:

• Department of Earth Sciences seminars
• Sedgwick Club talks
• Tilley Lecture Theatre, Department of Earth Sciences, Downing Site

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