Until recently, evolutionary biologists held that the diversification of angiosperms (flowering plants) during the Cretaceous period was a slow, gradual process facilitated primarily by insect co-evolution. However, paleobotanist Dr. Marcus Thorne has disrupted this narrative. By analyzing fossilized pollen distributions in high-latitude sediments, Thorne demonstrates that angiosperms experienced a rapid, catastrophic radiation that coincided with a sudden shift in global temperatures. He argues that this climate anomaly, rather than animal mutualism, was the primary catalyst for their ecological dominance. Consequently, Thorne proposes a revised model wherein abiotic factors play a more decisive role in early plant diversification than previously acknowledged.
Which choice best describes the overall structure of the text?
- AIt compares two competing theories about plant diversification, details a series of experiments that prove one theory correct, and argues that both models should be integrated into a new framework.
- BIt asserts that abiotic factors are the sole drivers of plant evolution, refutes the role of insect co-evolution entirely, and advocates for a complete halt to research on animal mutualism.
- It summarizes a widely accepted scientific theory, introduces a researcher who disputes that theory, describes the empirical evidence used in the researcher's analysis, and outlines the broader implications of the researcher's alternative explanation.Answer
- DIt presents a recent hypothesis about Cretaceous climate changes, introduces a researcher who validates this hypothesis using agricultural data, and concludes by calling for more precise temperature measurements.