4.1.4 Explain how plate tectonic activity has influenced evolution and biodiversity

• Mountain ranges (created by converging plates) form a physical barrier that many species cannot cross which creates isolation of gene pools (stops the flow) and thus uniques species of plants and animals living on the same land masses.
• Plates moving apart (diverging)  such as the African and South American plates also allow isolation of gene pools. The movement of land masses (over millions of years) has also meant that many continents have travelled through different climate zones which has led to species adapting to local environments (natural selection) and evolution.

On such large geographical and time scales, habitats have evolved to include greater diversity and thus, species have also become more heterogenic