How has the geological process of plate tectonics influenced the process of evolution over geologic time?
A) The changing location of the plates across the Earth's surface exposes organisms to differing concentrations of mutagens, thus increasing or decreasing the rate of evolution.
B) The rate of evolutionary change is directly proportional to the speed with which the Earth's tectonic plates are moving.
C) The changing location of the plates across the Earth's surface results in changing climatic environmental conditions for various communities and populations of organisms. This has driven evolutionary change.
D) The movement of the Earth's geologic plates is the source of energy that ultimately drives the process of evolution.
E) The movement of the Earth's geologic plates further away from the equator resulted in an increase in the gravitational forces on the planet. This allowed for the initial accumulation of the gases that form the Earth's atmosphere.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The changing location of the plates across the Earth's surface has resulted in the formation of various mountain ranges, ocean currents, and weather patterns, all of which have contributed to the changing environmental conditions for various communities and populations of organisms. This has led to different selective pressures, which in turn have driven evolutionary change. The movement of tectonic plates has also led to the formation of new habitats and the isolation of populations, which has further driven evolutionary divergence. However, it is important to note that plate tectonics alone is not the only factor that drives evolution, and other factors such as genetic drift, gene flow, and natural selection also play important roles.

How Has the Geological Process of Plate Tectonics Influenced the Process