Embedded Files
Biogeography is the study of how and why organisms live where they do.
The distribution of species on Earth provides evidence that informs our understanding of both the evolution of life and the movement of continents across the globe via plate tectonics.
Camel Migrations and Present-Day Variation. Members of the camel family now live in different parts of the world. Dromedary camels are found in Africa, Bactrian camels in Asia, and Llamas in South America. They differ from one another in a number of traits. However, they share basic similarities. This is because they all evolved from a common ancestor. What differences and similarities do you see?
Example: Camels!
Today, the camel family includes different types of camels. All of today’s camels are descended from the same camel ancestors. These ancestors lived in North America about a million years ago.
Early North American camels migrated to other places. Some went to East Asia via a land bridge during the last ice age. A few of them made it all the way to Africa. Others went to South America by crossing the Isthmus of Panama. Once camels reached these different places, they evolved independently. They evolved adaptations that suited them for the particular environment where they lived. Through
natural selection, descendants of the original camel ancestors evolved the diversity they have today.
Plants & animals living in similar conditions, but in different areas, evolve certain features (analogous structures) in common (this is called convergent evolution)
Page updated
Report abuse