The fern Glossopteris provides evidence for the movement of the continents through its distribution and fossil record. Glossopteris is an extinct fern species that was widely distributed across several continents during the Permian period, around 250 million years ago.
The important aspect is that Glossopteris fossils have been found in regions that are currently separated by vast expanses of ocean. These regions include India, Antarctica, Australia, South America, and Africa. The presence of the same fossil fern species in these widely separated regions suggests that these land masses were once connected and have since drifted apart.
This distribution pattern of Glossopteris fossils supports Alfred Wegener's theory of continental drift. Wegener proposed that all the continents were once part of a supercontinent called Pangaea, which began to break up around 200 million years ago. As the continents drifted apart, the organisms living on them also spread out, resulting in their unique distribution patterns.
The presence of Glossopteris fossils in these different regions provides strong evidence for continental drift and the theory of plate tectonics. It suggests that Antarctica, Australia, South America, India, and Africa were once part of a single landmass and later drifted apart to their current positions. This supports the idea that the continents are not fixed in their positions, but rather move slowly over geological time scales.
How does the fern Glossopteris provide evidence for the movement of the continents?
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