evolution: sessile Ediacarans stirred water flow (Introduction)

by David Turell , Sunday, May 19, 2024, 19:11 (111 days ago) @ David Turell

An obvious event:

https://phys.org/news/2024-05-earth-earliest-sea-creatures-drove.html

"Using state-of-the-art computer simulations of fossils from the Ediacaran time period—approximately 565 million years ago—scientists discovered how these animals mixed the surrounding seawater. This may have affected the distribution of important resources such as food particles and could have increased local oxygen levels.

"Through this process, the scientists think these early communities could have played a crucial role in shaping the initial emergence of large and complex organisms prior to a major evolutionary radiation of different forms of animal life, the so-called Cambrian "explosion."

***

"Dr. Emily Mitchell at the University of Cambridge's Department of Zoology, a co-author of the report, said, "It's exciting to learn that the very first animals from 580 million years ago had a significant impact on their environment, despite not being able to move or swim. We've found they mixed up the water and enabled resources to spread more widely—potentially encouraging more evolution."

***

"First author Dr. Susana Gutarra, a Scientific Associate at the Natural History Museum, said, "We used ecological modeling and computer simulations to investigate how 3D virtual assemblages of Ediacaran life forms affected water flow. Our results showed that these communities were capable of ecological functions similar to those seen in present-day marine ecosystems."

"The study showed that one of the most important Ediacaran organisms for disrupting the flow of water was the cabbage-shaped animal Bradgatia, named after Bradgate Park in England. The Bradgatia from Mistaken Point are among some of the largest fossils known from this site, reaching diameters of over 50 centimeters.

"Through their influence on the water around them, the scientists believe these Ediacaran organisms might have been capable of enhancing local oxygen concentrations. This biological mixing might also have had repercussions for the wider environment, possibly making other areas of the sea floor more habitable and perhaps even driving evolutionary innovation.

"Dr. Imran Rahman, lead author and Principal Researcher at the Natural History Museum, said, "The approach we've developed to study Ediacaran fossil communities is entirely new in paleontology, providing us with a powerful tool for studying how past and present marine ecosystems might shape and influence their environment.'"

Common: anyone who has seen a stream knows standing objects will stir up flow. As A grantor of study funds. I would not have funded this one with such obvious results.