How to reconstruct paleobiology, life-history traits and paleoecology from teeth in large herbivorous mammals | Manon Hullot

How to reconstruct paleobiology, life-history traits and paleoecology from teeth in large herbivorous mammals

Reconstructing the paleobiology, life-history traits and paleoecology of fossil taxa is an important aspect of paleontology for which numerous methods have been developed (morphology, isotopy, histology). Teeth are the most represented organs in the fossil record due to their physical properties, and they also form a direct interface between the animal and its environment. Thus, their study enables us to characterize a large number of biological (body mass, hypoplasia, growth) and ecological (diet, environmental conditions) parameters. The integration of these different parameters provides a better understanding of the past biodiversity and ecosystem dynamics. Large herbivorous mammals are good environmental indicators and are often the subject of paleobiological, life-history and paleoecological studies. However, some taxa have attracted much attention (e.g., ruminants), while leaving others little studied despite their past success (abundance, diversity, disparity). This is particularly true of the Rhinocerotidae, on which I worked during my thesis and my first post-doctorate, and the Notoungulata, which is the focus of my current post-doctorate.