Question

There are several compelling pieces of scientific evidence that support the occurrence of evolution. Answer the following four questions using the choices provided. Each of the following terms may be used once, more than once, or not at all.
The presence of penguins on the South American, southern African, and Antarctic continents indicates that at one time, these continents were a single land mass. This demonstrates the concept of

• A. Fossil record
• B. Biogeography
• C. Homologous structures
• D. Allopatric speciation
• E. Natural selection

Answer 1

Answer: (B)

Biogeography

A. Fossil record is the evolutionary information retrieved from the fossils of animals and plants.

B. Biogeography is the study of the geographical distribution of life forms on earth.

C. Homologous organs are the organs that have same basic structure but different functions.

D. Changing climate may isolate population on mountain peaks or in remnant lakes, or rare migrants may colonise new areas such as the Galapagos and Hawaiian islands. This geographic isolation is termed as allopatry and gives rise to allopatric speciation.

E. According to Darwin's concept of natural selection, as a struggle for existence, only those organisms could survive which have favourable variation to adapt with the environmental conditions. In other words, struggle for existence results in survival of the fittest which means that natural selection tends to favour those organisms which are most fit to survive with the reproductive age in a particular environment and to produce offspring.

Hence, the statement 'presence of penguins on the South American, southern African, and Antarctic continents indicates that at one time, these continents were a single land mass' shows the geographical distribution of penguins i.e. it demonstrates the concept of 'Biogeography'.

So, the correct answer is 'Biogeography'.