Question

Uniformitarianism states that the geologic processes occurring in the past are the same processes that are occurring today.

Processes we see happening on Earth today have occurred for millions of years, forming the rocks and landforms around us. In the
Kimberley Region of Western Australia, there is a Devonian limestone formation with a structure similar to today's Barrier Reef. It
is composed largely of corals. Based on the principles of uniformitarianism, what can we infer about this region back in the
Devonian period?
A) The Kimberly region is composed of sedimentary rocks deposited over
millions of years since the Devonian period.
B) Because modern corals live in warm, shallow seas, we can infer the same
environment existed during the Devonian period, where the Kimberleys are
today
C) We can infer that the climate has not changed over millions of years in the
Kimberly region of Australia and both biotic and abiotic factors remain
constant over time.
D) Because modern corals live in warm, shallow seas, we can infer that over
millions of years the animals that comprise the reefs have adapted to
changes in environmental conditions in the Kimberly area.

Answer 1

B) Because modern corals live in warm, shallow seas, we can infer the same

environment existed during the Devonian period, where the Kimberleys are

today

Step-by-step explanation:

Based on the law of Uniformitarianism we can infer the environment that existed during the formation of the Devonian limestone and the Barrier Reef today.

• Since the process that occurs in times past are still occurring today, the depositional environment must have been the same.
• The limestone in Kimberly suggests that they must have formed under warm, shallow sea very similar to that of the Barrier reef today.
• This interpretation is only made possible by the law of uniformitarianism.