RE: Sauropods in wet versus dry environments... a tip of the hat to some past artists (Was Re. Lost Worlds)

["Tracy L. Ford" <dino.hunter@home.com>]

-----Original Message-----
From: owner-dinosaur@usc.edu [mailto:owner-dinosaur@usc.edu]On Behalf Of Ray
Stanford
Sent: Wednesday, January 16, 2002 8:55 PM
To: Dinosaur Mailing List
Subject: Re: Sauropods in wet versus dry environments... a tip of the hat to
some past artists (Was Re. Lost Worlds)

Ray Stanford wrote:

    Also, of course, I know that theropod tracks are often found with
sauropod tracks, but the thing to keep in mind is that while theropod tracks
are found abundantly in some seemingly very dry environments, I am unaware
of any sauropod tracks from such environments.  One might wonder if Rob can
barf up a few of the exceptions one might figure he has ingested, judging
from his comments.  I would welcome them.<<

The problem I have with this is that it limiting the sauropods to a certain
environment. Akin to my talk that I'll be giving this weekend at the Mesa
Southwest Museum in that limiting Hadrosaurs and Ankylosaurs to only
terrestrial niches is limiting the animals themselves. Sure sauropods track
have been found in moist, wet environments (where else would they be left?)
and there are/is a large nesting site in Europe (I think its in Spain) that
is near Marine sediment indicting the nesting site was near the shore, does
not mean all sauropods lived next or near water.

There is sauropod material from Mongolia (not just the few that are real
famous), but the Djachota (sic) etc which may indicate some lived in a dry
desert area. The Morrison is suppose to be a dry environment and just
because the remains are found in water left sediment doesn't mean they lived
near the water. There are other possible explanations, they died on a flood
dry flood plain and were swept away to where they are now from a flood. I
personally wouldn't put them in just either near water or dry climates, but
would suggest they exploited all the niches available to them, desert, dry
inland, lake shore (stream, river, pond), logoonal, estuarine, etc.

I can't wait till they find a sauropod in Dinosaur Provincial Park...

Personally I wouldn't want you to stop finding tracks, your work is
important and should be continued.

Tracy L. Ford
P. O. Box 1171
Poway Ca  92074