New application of strontium isotopes reveals evidence of limited migratory behaviour in Late Cretaceous hadrosaurs

A new study using strontium isotopes from fossilized hadrosaur enamel provides compelling evidence that these Late Cretaceous dinosaurs exhibited limited migratory behavior, moving between Dinosaur Provincial Park and a nearby locality approximately 80 kilometers away in Alberta, Canada. This finding challenges the assumption that the continent-wide distribution of some hadrosaur species was due to long-range migrations, instead suggesting more localized movements akin to those observed in modern elephants. The research represents the first successful application of strontium isotope ratios to reconstruct dinosaur migration patterns, offering a novel approach to understanding dinosaur ecology beyond fossil distribution alone.

Terrill, D. F., Henderson, C. M., & Anderson, J. S. (2020). New application of strontium isotopes reveals evidence of limited migratory behaviour in Late Cretaceous hadrosaurs. Biology Letters, 16(3). https://doi.org/10.1098/rsbl.2019.0930