Question

the wollemi pine is referred to as a living fossil because its pollen grains closely resemble the fossilized pollen grains of its ancestral trees that date back to more than 90 million years ago. what is the best conclusion from this observation about the wollemi pine? select one: a. the wollemi pine is an example of punctuated equilibrium because it underwent speciation slowly over millions of years. b. the wollemi pine is an example of evolution because its pollen underwent significant changes over a short period of time. c. the wollemi pine is an example of gradualism because the trees grow gradually over time. d. the wollemi pine is an example of stasis because its pollen shows little or no evolutionary change over a long period of time.

Explanation:

Stasis in evolution means a species shows little to no evolutionary change over a very long period. The Wollemi pine's pollen is nearly identical to 90-million-year-old fossilized pollen, matching this definition. Option a is wrong because punctuated equilibrium involves rapid speciation bursts, not slow change. Option b is incorrect as the pollen shows no significant changes. Option c is wrong because gradualism refers to slow evolutionary change, not physical growth rate.

Answer:

d. The Wollemi pine is an example of stasis because its pollen shows little or no evolutionary change over a long period of time.