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Biogeography as Evidence

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Biogeography traces species' geographic distribution to tectonic history, since lineages that diverged before a supercontinent's breakup spread differently than lineages that diverged after.

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A plant family found across Australia, southern Africa, and South America traces to ancestors present on the once-joined southern supercontinent Gondwana.

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Similar species distributed across isolated regions reflect shared ancestry and tectonic history, not independent origin in each location.