Re: Sauropod necks????

[don ohmes <d_ohmes@yahoo.com>]

Finally someone responds to this (thanks, David):

You are in line with concensus thought on this.
However, current research indicates an earlier origin
for angiosperms (as early as ~340 mys BP, in my
readings), and there is literature discussing an
aquatic origin of same. So as an old farm boy who has
spent many hot days acquiring biomass, I am willing to
reconsider a retro hypothesis, even though it might be
a stretch.

You see, I, like the individual who supposedly
invented the hypothetical shell-less molluscs (from
Colbert, if memory serves) have a hard time squaring
the probable daily amounts of forage the largest
sauropods required (assuming mass specific nutritional
values have not changed) with the physical equipment
they had to work with.

"Facts"? In os veritas. The rest is best guesses,
right? 

Don

--- David Marjanovic <david.marjanovic@gmx.at> wrote:

> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "don ohmes" <d_ohmes@yahoo.com>
> Sent: Sunday, May 22, 2005 12:13 AM
> 
> > I like the idea of hydrilla or some aquatic weed
> with
> > similar interwined growth habit as a primary food
> > source. [...]
> >
> > Hydrilla seems to grow best in water 1-2 m deep,
> and
> > will utilize every cc of water column. So no need
> to
> > move tree to tree, hold the head up, pull back to
> > strip leaves, or separate/swallow twigs, just wade
> > through it like a teenager sucking up a giant
> plate of
> > spagetti. Only practical way I see to obtain the
> truly
> > incredible bulk the biggest probably needed. Any
> > thoughts?
> 
> Several.
> 
> - *Hydrilla* and most other water weeds are
> angiosperms, and thus 
> unavailable in the Jurassic. I don't know enough
> about ferns like 
> *Salvinia*, but AFAIK they don't get this
> productive...
> - So much water may not have been available in, for
> example, the Morrison Fm 
> environment.
> - The neck length of *Dicraeosaurus* should suffice
> for this lifestyle. So 
> why do sauropods vary so much in neck length?
> 
> Beautiful hypothesis, ugly facts... :-] 
> 
>