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The Proteaceae family of plants contains the pink-ice protea, found in South Africa, and the drumstick flower found in Western Australia - VCE - SSCE Biology - Question 14 - 2011 - Paper 1
Question 14
The Proteaceae family of plants contains the pink-ice protea, found in South Africa, and the drumstick flower found in Western Australia. The figure below shows thei... show full transcript
Worked Solution & Example Answer:The Proteaceae family of plants contains the pink-ice protea, found in South Africa, and the drumstick flower found in Western Australia - VCE - SSCE Biology - Question 14 - 2011 - Paper 1
Step 1
This distribution is most likely due to:
Answer
The most likely reason for the distribution of the Proteaceae family, particularly the pink-ice protea and the drumstick flower, not being found in the northern hemisphere is 'continental drift.'
Explanation:
Continental drift posits that landmasses have shifted over geological time, causing species to be isolated in different regions. The Proteaceae family's distribution in southern hemisphere regions like South Africa and Western Australia suggests a historical separateness caused by this drift.
Although convergent evolution, artificial selection, and the founder effect could influence species distribution, they do not sufficiently explain the specific geographical absence seen in the northern hemisphere as comprehensively as continental drift.