Evidence for Evolution III

• Fossil Record

  • remains of animals in sedimentary rocks
  • because of this, establish record of ancient organisms
• Biogeography

  • study of past + present DISTRIBUTION of organisms
  • geographical distribution of organisms directly affects evolution (NS dependency on place)
  • Darwin noticed :


  Cape verde : off the coast of West Africa

  • noticed that the plants + animals are similar to those on continent even though they are not on west Africa

  Galapagos : off south America coast

  • plants + animals similar to those on the continent

  distribution of organisms is directly affected/correlated with geography
• Biogeograpahy 


  Continental Drift

  • all continents were together (pangea)
  • 7 of the major continent plates moved to give shifts which give us 7 continents
  • at one point, all of life was on one continent
  • why is there so much variation? Because of biogeography