Prehistoric Ecosystems: Cretaceous Period - Savannas, Forests & Floodplains

[Totoro]

CRETACEOUS PERIOD - SAVANNAS, FORESTS & FLOODPLAINS

TOP 5 BLOG APPROVED ARTISTIC REPRESENTATIONS OF TYPICAL CRETACEOUS PERIOD ECOSYSTEMS


OTHER MAJOR HABITATS
-Oceans and Seas


CONFIRMED BIOTA

Animals:
Acrocanthosaurus
Amargasaurus
Argentinosaurus
Bambiraptor
Baryonyx
Chasmosaurus
Cretoxyrhina (Ginsu Shark)
Deinosuchus
Einiosaurus
Gastonia
Gorgosaurus
Hadrosaurus
Iguanodon
Majungasaurus
Nanotyrannus
Nemicolopterus
Ornithocheirus
Ornithomimus
Oviraptor
Pachycephalosaurus
Pachyrhinosaurus
Quetzalcoatlus
Rapetosaurus
Repenomamus
Spinosaurus
Troodon
Tyrannosaurus Rex
Utahraptor
Velociraptor
Xenotarsosaurus

Plants:

Angiosperms
Dryophyllum
Ficus
Sabal
Vitis
Magnolia
Plantanus
Quercus
Cornus

Ferns
Todites

Horsetails
Equisetites


Ginkgoes


Cycads


Conifers

LINKS
Spinosaur ecology: https://palaeo-electronica.org/content/2021/3219-the-ecology-of-spinosaurus

[Totoro]

This page will be a placeholder for Period wildlife Illustrations and fossil pix.


Alamosaurus

[Totoro]

This page will be a placeholder for Period plant illustrations and fossil pix.

[Totoro]

This page will be a placeholder for scenic illustrations of this Period.

[Justin_]

Something I'm wanting to know is where and how did the early grasses grow. Quoting from this article :

......at least some Cretaceous dinosaurs were grass eaters. However, grasses seem to have been relatively rare in the Mesozoic, and did not form grasslands until much later. Ground cover in the later Mesozoic was a mixture of ferns and herbaceous angiosperms.

This article on grass and grass-like plants by Maija Karala says:

True grasses ..... were already there in the Late Cretaceous. However, they might not have yet been similarly adapted to dry conditions and frequent grazing as they are now. .................. Thus, it might be most plausible to depict Late Cretaceous grasses in either forest or wetland habitats.

Does anyone know of any depictions of these early grasses?

[irimali]

https://mariocoiro.wordpress.com/2021/01/21/forgotten-formations-anfiteatro-de-tico/

Just sharing this here.  Blog post describing a well known flora from Early Cretaceous (119 mya) Argentina.  No vertebrate fossils, but it would be a good basis for reconstructing environments of a similar age for dinosaurs from nearby formations. 

[Halichoeres]

https://mariocoiro.wordpress.com/2021/01/21/forgotten-formations-anfiteatro-de-tico/

Just sharing this here.  Blog post describing a well known flora from Early Cretaceous (119 mya) Argentina.  No vertebrate fossils, but it would be a good basis for reconstructing environments of a similar age for dinosaurs from nearby formations.

Thanks, that's very useful!

[irimali]

http://fossilplants.info/publication.htm?id=A5C350BC-DD0C-41E9-88DE-BE009DD33E9A



For anybody looking to do some research this is a great site.  Lots of lists of plant species from specific communities.  Here's a list from late cretaceous alaska.  We got maples, magnolias, figs, ginkgoes, elms, alders, smoke trees, water lillies, cycads, ferns, conifers, oaks, dogwoods, aralias, sycamores,  grapevines, gingers, nettles, rowans, and a whole bunch more.  Lots to work with if you want to make your dinosaur backgrounds more interesting. 

[Halichoeres]

http://fossilplants.info/publication.htm?id=A5C350BC-DD0C-41E9-88DE-BE009DD33E9A



For anybody looking to do some research this is a great site.  Lots of lists of plant species from specific communities.  Here's a list from late cretaceous alaska.  We got maples, magnolias, figs, ginkgoes, elms, alders, smoke trees, water lillies, cycads, ferns, conifers, oaks, dogwoods, aralias, sycamores,  grapevines, gingers, nettles, rowans, and a whole bunch more.  Lots to work with if you want to make your dinosaur backgrounds more interesting.

Another very useful contribution, thanks!