How do scientists know that dinosaurs dominated in the Mesozoic era and mammoths appeared in the Cenozoic era
Scientists know that dinosaurs dominated in the Mesozoic era and mammoths appeared in the Cenozoic era through the study of fossils and the geological record. Fossils of dinosaurs are abundant in rocks dating back to the Mesozoic era, which spanned from around 252 million years ago to 66 million years ago. These fossils provide evidence that dinosaurs were the dominant land animals during this time.
In contrast, fossils of mammoths and other related species known as proboscideans are found in rocks from the Cenozoic era, which began around 66 million years ago and continues to the present day. These fossils show that mammoths appeared during the Cenozoic era and gradually became more widespread and diverse before eventually becoming extinct.
By studying the distribution and diversity of fossilized remains of dinosaurs and mammoths in the geological record, scientists have been able to determine the chronological order in which these animals lived and their relative dominance in their respective eras.