Scientists use fossilized feces to reconstruct moa diet

[PhysOrg]

(Phys.org) —Until it became extinct in the 15th century, the moa, a flightless bird, played a significant role in New Zealand's ecology. In a study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, Alan Cooper of the University of New South Wales in Sydney and his colleagues reveal they have used coprolites to reconstruct the dietary habits of four moa species. They determined how the moa's extinction has affected New Zealand's ecosystems and considered whether any existing species can take its place.

 

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