Articles for tag: conservation biology, ecological impact, mastodons, seed dispersal, South American forests

Mastodon skeleton, Museum of the Earth

The Extinction That Changed South America: What Mastodons Left Behind

April Joy Jovita

The extinction of mastodons in South America approximately 10,000 years ago continues to affect native forests, as revealed in a groundbreaking study by the University of O’Higgins, Chile. For the first time, scientists have found direct fossil evidence that these extinct elephant relatives played a critical role in seed dispersal, maintaining the biodiversity of large-fruited ...

9 Shocking Environmental Disasters That Changed Landscapes Forever

9 Shocking Environmental Disasters That Changed Landscapes Forever

Gargi Chakravorty

When you think about the power of human activity to reshape our planet, the images that probably come to mind are positive ones: cities rising from empty fields, forests being replanted, or wetlands being restored. However, there’s a darker side to this story that has left permanent scars on our Earth’s surface. Environmental disasters triggered ...