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Absolute abundance and preservation rate of Tyrannosaurus rex

JacksinPA

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https://science.sciencemag.org/content/372/6539/284 [subscription]

Abstract
Although much can be deduced from fossils alone, estimating abundance and preservation rates of extinct species requires data from living species. Here, we use the relationship between population density and body mass among living species combined with our substantial knowledge of Tyrannosaurus rex to calculate population variables and preservation rates for postjuvenile T. rex. We estimate that its abundance at any one time was ~20,000 individuals, that it persisted for ~127,000 generations, and that the total number of T. rex that ever lived was ~2.5 billion individuals, with a fossil recovery rate of 1 per ~80 million individuals or 1 per 16,000 individuals where its fossils are most abundant. The uncertainties in these values span more than two orders of magnitude, largely because of the variance in the density–body mass relationship rather than variance in the paleobiological input variables.
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T. rex fossils are fairly common. This paper calculates that around 2.5 billion of these carnivores existed over time.
 
It's probable that the number and existence of these hunters depended upon the amount of prey available in their geographical area. As with all predators (and because only environmental or geological changes could effect populations, since humans were millions of years in the future) their existence depends on the abundance of prey. I'm sure assumptions based on this data could be used in a model to address other species.
 
It's probable that the number and existence of these hunters depended upon the amount of prey available in their geographical area. As with all predators (and because only environmental or geological changes could effect populations, since humans were millions of years in the future) their existence depends on the abundance of prey. I'm sure assumptions based on this data could be used in a model to address other species.

I believe that their main prey were ceratopsians like Triceratops, who likely lived in huge herds, like the modern bison.
 
Do people know what happened to kill off the dinosaurs?
 
Tyrannosaurus lived throughout what is now western North America, on what was then an island continent known as Laramidia.
 
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