Poo clue to ancient bird's diet
At three metres in height, it was thought moa grazed on trees and bushes, but the faeces turned up evidence only of tiny herbs.
The study also showed that moa diets were significantly different to those of the species introduced later.
The research appears in the current issue of Quaternary Science Reviews.
Alan Cooper, director of the Australian Centre for Ancient DNA and senior author on the study, has been collating DNA from a range of different species of moa in recent years.
Prior efforts investigating ancient DNA in the region have shown how varied species of birds diverged with the breakup of the islands of the South Pacific, providing the researchers with a catalogue of DNA samples to which they can refer.
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The study also showed that moa diets were significantly different to those of the species introduced later.
The research appears in the current issue of Quaternary Science Reviews.
Alan Cooper, director of the Australian Centre for Ancient DNA and senior author on the study, has been collating DNA from a range of different species of moa in recent years.
Prior efforts investigating ancient DNA in the region have shown how varied species of birds diverged with the breakup of the islands of the South Pacific, providing the researchers with a catalogue of DNA samples to which they can refer.