▲ 749 ▼ Natural selection at work (piefed.cdn.blahaj.zone) submitted 1 year ago by compostgoblin@piefed.blahaj.zone to c/science_memes@mander.xyz 30 comments fedilink hide all child comments
[–] ryedaft@sh.itjust.works 16 points 1 year ago (10 children) Was the common ancestor carnivorous or herbivorous? permalink fedilink source parent hideshow 10 child comments replies: [–] Revan343@lemmy.ca 22 points 1 year ago Almost all herbivores are opportunistic carnivores; deer eat birds. Presumably some great swimmers thought the krill (or some other sea life) represented a great opportunity permalink fedilink source parent [–] danc4498@lemmy.world 8 points 1 year ago (7 children) It ate krill permalink fedilink source parent hideshow 7 child comments replies: [–] zedgeist@lemmy.world 7 points 1 year ago (1 child) Just krill me now. permalink fedilink source parent hideshow 1 child comment replies: [–] danc4498@lemmy.world 5 points 1 year ago 🍤 permalink fedilink source parent [–] ryedaft@sh.itjust.works 6 points 1 year ago (3 children) Weird to think that deer descended from krill eaters. Maybe that's why they love salt licks so much. permalink fedilink source parent hideshow 3 child comments replies: [–] exasperation@lemmy.dbzer0.com 8 points 1 year ago (2 children) I remember reading that the common ancestors of all birds was carnivorous. Basically every herbivore bird descended from carnivores. See also the giant panda and the red panda. permalink fedilink source parent hideshow 2 child comments replies: [–] SuperIce@lemmy.world 9 points 1 year ago (1 child) Eh, the giant panda isn't the best example. It's digestive system is still optimized for meat, which is why the need to eat a lot of bamboo and eat very specific parts of it that have a similar nutritional makeup as meat. They wouldn't be able to survive eating other plants, but they could survive (and thrive) eating meat. permalink fedilink source parent hideshow 1 child comment replies: [–] exasperation@lemmy.dbzer0.com 5 points 1 year ago It's interesting because it's very obvious, biologically, that the panda has a digestive system that has a carnivore past, and yet, the very plentiful biomass in bamboo forests just waiting to be eaten rewards the animals that can make use of it. So the giant panda may or may not be "optimized" for meat, but has generations that came out of the free food that is bamboo, so that their very survival depends on a herbivore diet. permalink fedilink source parent [–] AtariDump@lemmy.world 1 point 1 year ago Swim away! permalink fedilink source parent [–] Tollana1234567@lemmy.today 3 points 1 year ago Omnivorous most likely, then many animals became herbivores or carnivirous permalink fedilink source parent
[–] Revan343@lemmy.ca 22 points 1 year ago Almost all herbivores are opportunistic carnivores; deer eat birds. Presumably some great swimmers thought the krill (or some other sea life) represented a great opportunity permalink fedilink source parent
[–] danc4498@lemmy.world 8 points 1 year ago (7 children) It ate krill permalink fedilink source parent hideshow 7 child comments replies: [–] zedgeist@lemmy.world 7 points 1 year ago (1 child) Just krill me now. permalink fedilink source parent hideshow 1 child comment replies: [–] danc4498@lemmy.world 5 points 1 year ago 🍤 permalink fedilink source parent [–] ryedaft@sh.itjust.works 6 points 1 year ago (3 children) Weird to think that deer descended from krill eaters. Maybe that's why they love salt licks so much. permalink fedilink source parent hideshow 3 child comments replies: [–] exasperation@lemmy.dbzer0.com 8 points 1 year ago (2 children) I remember reading that the common ancestors of all birds was carnivorous. Basically every herbivore bird descended from carnivores. See also the giant panda and the red panda. permalink fedilink source parent hideshow 2 child comments replies: [–] SuperIce@lemmy.world 9 points 1 year ago (1 child) Eh, the giant panda isn't the best example. It's digestive system is still optimized for meat, which is why the need to eat a lot of bamboo and eat very specific parts of it that have a similar nutritional makeup as meat. They wouldn't be able to survive eating other plants, but they could survive (and thrive) eating meat. permalink fedilink source parent hideshow 1 child comment replies: [–] exasperation@lemmy.dbzer0.com 5 points 1 year ago It's interesting because it's very obvious, biologically, that the panda has a digestive system that has a carnivore past, and yet, the very plentiful biomass in bamboo forests just waiting to be eaten rewards the animals that can make use of it. So the giant panda may or may not be "optimized" for meat, but has generations that came out of the free food that is bamboo, so that their very survival depends on a herbivore diet. permalink fedilink source parent [–] AtariDump@lemmy.world 1 point 1 year ago Swim away! permalink fedilink source parent
[–] zedgeist@lemmy.world 7 points 1 year ago (1 child) Just krill me now. permalink fedilink source parent hideshow 1 child comment replies: [–] danc4498@lemmy.world 5 points 1 year ago 🍤 permalink fedilink source parent
[–] ryedaft@sh.itjust.works 6 points 1 year ago (3 children) Weird to think that deer descended from krill eaters. Maybe that's why they love salt licks so much. permalink fedilink source parent hideshow 3 child comments replies: [–] exasperation@lemmy.dbzer0.com 8 points 1 year ago (2 children) I remember reading that the common ancestors of all birds was carnivorous. Basically every herbivore bird descended from carnivores. See also the giant panda and the red panda. permalink fedilink source parent hideshow 2 child comments replies: [–] SuperIce@lemmy.world 9 points 1 year ago (1 child) Eh, the giant panda isn't the best example. It's digestive system is still optimized for meat, which is why the need to eat a lot of bamboo and eat very specific parts of it that have a similar nutritional makeup as meat. They wouldn't be able to survive eating other plants, but they could survive (and thrive) eating meat. permalink fedilink source parent hideshow 1 child comment replies: [–] exasperation@lemmy.dbzer0.com 5 points 1 year ago It's interesting because it's very obvious, biologically, that the panda has a digestive system that has a carnivore past, and yet, the very plentiful biomass in bamboo forests just waiting to be eaten rewards the animals that can make use of it. So the giant panda may or may not be "optimized" for meat, but has generations that came out of the free food that is bamboo, so that their very survival depends on a herbivore diet. permalink fedilink source parent
[–] exasperation@lemmy.dbzer0.com 8 points 1 year ago (2 children) I remember reading that the common ancestors of all birds was carnivorous. Basically every herbivore bird descended from carnivores. See also the giant panda and the red panda. permalink fedilink source parent hideshow 2 child comments replies: [–] SuperIce@lemmy.world 9 points 1 year ago (1 child) Eh, the giant panda isn't the best example. It's digestive system is still optimized for meat, which is why the need to eat a lot of bamboo and eat very specific parts of it that have a similar nutritional makeup as meat. They wouldn't be able to survive eating other plants, but they could survive (and thrive) eating meat. permalink fedilink source parent hideshow 1 child comment replies: [–] exasperation@lemmy.dbzer0.com 5 points 1 year ago It's interesting because it's very obvious, biologically, that the panda has a digestive system that has a carnivore past, and yet, the very plentiful biomass in bamboo forests just waiting to be eaten rewards the animals that can make use of it. So the giant panda may or may not be "optimized" for meat, but has generations that came out of the free food that is bamboo, so that their very survival depends on a herbivore diet. permalink fedilink source parent
[–] SuperIce@lemmy.world 9 points 1 year ago (1 child) Eh, the giant panda isn't the best example. It's digestive system is still optimized for meat, which is why the need to eat a lot of bamboo and eat very specific parts of it that have a similar nutritional makeup as meat. They wouldn't be able to survive eating other plants, but they could survive (and thrive) eating meat. permalink fedilink source parent hideshow 1 child comment replies: [–] exasperation@lemmy.dbzer0.com 5 points 1 year ago It's interesting because it's very obvious, biologically, that the panda has a digestive system that has a carnivore past, and yet, the very plentiful biomass in bamboo forests just waiting to be eaten rewards the animals that can make use of it. So the giant panda may or may not be "optimized" for meat, but has generations that came out of the free food that is bamboo, so that their very survival depends on a herbivore diet. permalink fedilink source parent
[–] exasperation@lemmy.dbzer0.com 5 points 1 year ago It's interesting because it's very obvious, biologically, that the panda has a digestive system that has a carnivore past, and yet, the very plentiful biomass in bamboo forests just waiting to be eaten rewards the animals that can make use of it. So the giant panda may or may not be "optimized" for meat, but has generations that came out of the free food that is bamboo, so that their very survival depends on a herbivore diet. permalink fedilink source parent
[–] Tollana1234567@lemmy.today 3 points 1 year ago Omnivorous most likely, then many animals became herbivores or carnivirous permalink fedilink source parent