The fossil record is a testament to extinct fauna no longer present on Earth. Certain areas of the planet have always had high species diversity (evidence from fossils and catalogs of current species diversity). Which of the processes listed likely contributed to the patterns of animal diversity we see?
A. Evolutionary innovation and volcanic eruptions.
B. Evolutionary innovation and the appearance of new land masses over time.
C. Evolutionary innovation and extinction events (both local and global).
D. Evolutionary innovation and changes in atmospheric oxygen.