The Role of Plants in the Mesozoic Ecosystem
Our minds often go straight to dinosaurs when we think about the Mesozoic era. However, they weren’t the only living species during this time. Vegetation existed and evolved throughout the Triassic, Jurassic, and Cretaceous periods and played a crucial role in shaping life. Explore the role of plants in the Mesozoic ecosystem.
Why Plants Were Essential
Plants played a major role in supplying herbivores with a food source and altering Earth’s atmosphere. All plants convert carbon dioxide into oxygen. During the Mesozoic era, lush vegetation covered most landscapes. This increased oxygen levels in the atmosphere, making it more suitable for animals to thrive.
Plants Throughout the Mesozoic Era
Various types of greenery grew throughout the Age of Dinosaurs, and we’ve broken down the three periods to detail what plant life looked like at that time.
The Triassic Period
During the Triassic, the center of Earth’s continental mass—Pangea—was dry and desert-like. Due to this climate, most plants grew along the coast or at higher elevations. Some of the most common plants that grew were ferns, cycads, and conifers.
The Jurassic Period
Many recognize the Jurassic period as when much of Earth was more tropical and rainforest-like. The humid atmosphere allowed plants to grow more lusciously than they could in the Triassic age. Cycads, conifers, and ginkgoes were among the most common plants to grow during this period.
Dino Fact
While some types of cycads, conifers, and ginkgoes still exist today, they are merely a fraction of the diversity the dinosaurs witnessed.
The Cretaceous Period
Flowering plants—angiosperms—became more prominent during the Cretaceous period. Additionally, many major plant groups from the Jurassic period survived through the Cretaceous period. One reason greenery thrived during this period is likely due to the high amounts of carbon dioxide (CO2) released in the atmosphere during volcanic eruptions.
Dinosaurs Needed Plants
Earth’s ecosystems are a balancing act, so there is no understating of the pivotal role of plants in the Mesozoic ecosystem. Plants rely on creatures such as dinosaurs and mammals to produce CO2; the vegetation takes in carbon dioxide molecules and then releases oxygen into the atmosphere.
Countless dinosaurs, such as the Stegosaurus, Triceratops, and Brachiosaurus, relied on plants for food. Specific species groups, such as sauropods, ate thousands of pounds of plants each day. Predators such as the Velociraptor relied on herbivorous dinosaurs as a food source, while carnivorous dinosaurs only ate meat. Without plants, life on Earth likely wouldn’t exist as we know it today.
Shop for Dinosaur Figures
Creative Beast Studio sells action figures of countless dinosaurs, from plant-eaters to agile hunters. Options such as our Deluxe Raptor collection include various Velociraptor figures with a feathered appearance, just like the real dinosaurs. Set up your prehistoric display with various dinosaurs and plants for a time capsule of the Mesozoic era.
