Re: digestion

[Matt Fraser <mattf+@pitt.edu>]

The gas may never have existed (I said MAY).  The methane produced during
mammallian digestion is due to the E. coli that reside in our gut.  I
don't know if similar symbioses occur with birds and reptiles, or whether
they can process vegetable matter on their own. There are certainly
vegetarian reptiles (iguanas) and fruit eating birds.  So I suupose those
would be the ones to get clues from.

Not going to speculate on the climatic impact of Dino-flatulance.

Matt

----

On Mon, 2 Jun 1997, Darryl wrote:

> While watching a rerun of a Paleoworld episode, a question came to mind
> (actually, it did the first time I saw it as well).  When a sauropod eats as
> much vegetation as it does and processes it, there will be bi-products of
> the digestion. I know that this is true for all herbivorous mammals.
> Methane gas is even said to be a problem that is contributing to global
> warming.  Sauropods (and other herbivores) must have produced copious
> amounts of methane as a natural part of their digestion process.  I was
> under the impression that birds (at least, I have never heard about crocs)
> were incapable of releasing excess digestive gas (the old "feed the seagulls
> baking powder" trick).  Am I incorrect about this?  The gas must have
> existed, so what happened to it?
> 
> Replies of list would be welcomed, as I'm not sure that this is the best
> forum for such an undignified discussion.  No "fart jokes" please.  If I
> wanted to here those, I would hang out with the grade two's.
> 
> Darryl
> 
> ----------------------------------------------------------
> "the truth is, I don't really care how the dinosaurs died.
> I'm interested in how they lived."  (Dr. John R. Horner,
> from the Complete T.rex, 1993)
> ----------------------------------------------------------
> The two most common elements in the universe are
> hydrogen and stupidity.
> ---------------------------------------------------------- 
> dinoguy@interlog.com
> http://www.interlog.com/~dinoguy
> 

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