could the earth's geological activity be a driving force for evolution?

Question

land masses colliding, volcanos exploding, seas contracting and expanding...all these cause a shift in environment, which causes a shift in evolution.

i would expect to see evolution lagging behind geological upheavals slightly.

Answer 1

I don't think there's any question that the earth's geological activitiy is a driving force for evolution. One only has to look at Australia, which was separated from mainland Asia by tectonic movement eons ago.

Increased volcanic activity would spew greenhouse gases into the air, causing the surface of the earth to get warmer, melting polar ice and glaciers and causing water levels to rise.

There are other geological forces at work deep within the earth. The earth has a tendency to wobble on its axis, changing the tilt toward the sun, which can increase or decrease the mean and extreme temperatures. Also, for unexplained reasons, the north and south poles will occasionally switch places, every 100,000 years or so, playing havoc with migrating species because their directions suddenly get reversed.

Answer 2

All activity on our planet, and indeed throughout the universe are evolving all the time. Of course the geological, environmental, and climatological factors all play a part in the evolution of all species on this planet. It is the adaptation of species that is seen as evolutionary. Those things that cannot adapt die off.

Answer 3

Yes, geological changes have forced species to adapt by bringing together new species and separating related ones however, it is not the only factor.

Answer 4

I think your time scale's off. Geological time, best for measuring tectonic activity, is orders of magnitude greater than evolutionary time.

Better, I think, is to use climate change as an engine of evolutionary change. Geologic activity can induce climate change, of course, but it's the change of environment that proximately induces evolution.

Answer 5

well in the deep sea where there is no sunlight there are Geo thermal hot spots that form life and evolve into extremely freaky species that usually ate snow Waite and have no eyes because there is no sun light...geological activity usually sparks life in hard to understand places tho

Answer 6

plate tectonics have a serious impact on evolution - the movement of plates isolates many animals and forces them to adapt willfully into their new environment - volcanic eruptions change global climates and some animals can't survive it leading others to become more specialized - volcanic arcs form new islands and leads to formations of new species as old animals settle on these islands and adapt to it

Answer 7

It is a major player. One example is called the bottleneck effect which is genetic drift in which a severe reduction in population size results from natural disaster, predation, or habitat reduction. This results in a severe reduction of the total genetic diversity of the original gene pool.

Answer 8

It is probably one of several factors. Weather would be another. Although evolution can take place without the pressure of such changes, the ability to respond to such change would be an evolutionary plus.

Answer 9

Of course

Answer 10

What an intriguing idea! I haven't thought of that. It is certainly possible. So interesting...