Final answer:
The fossil record provides evidence about the timing of events in whale evolution, showing a gradual change from land-dwelling ancestors to aquatic life.
Step-by-step explanation:
The correct statement about whale evolution is b) The fossil record provides evidence about the timing of certain events in whale evolution. Fossils are critical for understanding the evolutionary transition from land-dwelling ancestors to modern whales. As mammals, whales share a common ancestry with other land mammals, evident in the similarities in morphology between whale flippers and the limbs of other mammals. Over time, as these ancestors adapted to aquatic life, various evolutionary changes occurred, such as the development of specialized structures like flippers for swimming.
While DNA evidence is useful for understanding certain aspects of whale evolution, it does not account for most of the early history due to the limitations of collecting ancient DNA. The notion that the shift from land to sea happened all at once is refuted by the fossil record, which shows changes occurred gradually over time. Similarly, the concept of 'missing links' oversimplifies the complexity of evolution; scientists understand whale evolution not through a single linear chain but through branching patterns and transitional forms found in the fossil record.
Furthermore, the study of biogeography through the fossil record can trace the geographic distribution of species like dinosaurs to understand their spread across continents, affording insights into ancient Earth's landmass distributions and climatic conditions.