Final answer:
Continental drift causes climate changes by altering ocean and atmospheric circulation, leading to selective pressure on organisms. This has resulted in changes to Earth's climate system and impacted biodiversity over millions of years.
Step-by-step explanation:
Continental drift is a geological concept that explains the movement of Earth's continents over geological time scales. One result of continental drift is that it causes climate change, which in turn puts selective pressure on organisms to adapt to new conditions. The shifting of continents has modified climates worldwide, influenced ocean and atmospheric circulation, changed the Earth's climate system, and impacted the distribution and adaptations of living organisms.
As the continents drifted, they collided and formed supercontinents, broke up again, and moved apart, leading to changes in climate. Moreover, these shifts can cause intense volcanic activity that further changes climate patterns. Over time, such changes have had profound effects on biodiversity, leading to the evolution and sometimes extinction of species due to the changing climate and habitats.
Global warming, a related but distinct issue, can also raise ocean levels due to meltwater from glaciers and the expansion of water as it warms, affecting shorelines, island sizes, and the availability of freshwater versus saltwater. It's important to differentiate between the natural, millions-of-years long process of continental drift and the more rapid human-induced climate change.