During the Cretaceous (145-65 million years ago), flame was much more common than earlier supposed, thus representing dinosaurs. during this era may have faced the unpredicted hazard, a latest study has exposed. Researchers from Royal Holloway University of London and The Field Museum of Natural History in Chicago traced fire activity in the fossil evidence during the incidence of charcoal deposits, compile a worldwide database for this time gap. Charcoal is the remainder of the plants that were scorched and is easily conserved in the fossil evidence.
This era was a greenhouse world where international temperatures were higher than those of today. Lightning strikes must have been the main activate for these wildfires, but this stage was also one when full of atmosphere oxygen levels were high. Ian Glasspool report authors, points out that this “was why fires were so extensive. At such periods not like today plants with advanced wetness contents could burn.” The prevalence of fires all the way through the Cretaceous must have created a more troubled environment.
“Until now, a small number have taken into account the impact that fires could have had on the environment, not only destroy the plant life but also exacerbate run-off and erosion and promote following flooding following storms,” Professor Scott highlighted. These earlier period events may give a number of insights into how improved fire movement today may impact the world we live in.