Asked by Chuck Bass
The fossil record shows a continuous and gradual increase in the number and complexity of kinds of organisms.
True
False
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Answered by
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False.
The fossil record does not show a smooth, continuous increase; it shows abrupt appearances, long periods of stasis, sudden radiations (e.g., the Cambrian Explosion), and repeated mass extinctions. Diversity and complexity have trended upward over deep time in some respects, but not monotonically, and the record is also affected by preservation and sampling biases.
The fossil record does not show a smooth, continuous increase; it shows abrupt appearances, long periods of stasis, sudden radiations (e.g., the Cambrian Explosion), and repeated mass extinctions. Diversity and complexity have trended upward over deep time in some respects, but not monotonically, and the record is also affected by preservation and sampling biases.
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