How can we understand Dinosaurs? The ecology of scavenging

We invite you to join us today at 3:30 in Field Auditorium (Grainger Hall 1100) to hear Andrew Jackson from Trinity College Dublin present a seminar on The Ecology of Scavenging and how it can inform us on understanding the behavior of dinosaurs such as T. Rex!

Abstract: Scavenging presents an interesting set of challenges for foragers. In this talk I will explore the role of social information in the context of the drastic decline we have seen in the world's vulture populations over the last 20 years or so. In this mode of life, scavenging for information on the location of food is paramount to scavenging the food itself and this sets up interesting interactions between vultures of the same species, different species and even other animals which we will explore using game theory and empirical evidence. Using the insights we can gain from living scavengers, we will discuss the potential for scavenging as a mode of life in theropod dinosaurs and question whether the really large species like T. rex were adapted to a scavenging strategy.