Plants evolved from green algae approximately _____ million years ago.

• A. 470
• B. 65
• C. 250
• D. 1,200

Answer: (A)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Understand the context of the question: The problem is asking about the approximate time when plants evolved from green algae. This is a key event in evolutionary biology and relates to the study of plant phylogeny and the transition from aquatic to terrestrial life.
2. Recall the timeline of Earth's history: Green algae are considered the ancestors of land plants, and this transition occurred during the Paleozoic Era. Specifically, it happened in the Ordovician period, which is approximately 470 million years ago.
3. Eliminate incorrect options: The other options provided (65, 250, and 1,200 million years ago) do not align with the scientific evidence for the evolution of plants from green algae. For example, 65 million years ago corresponds to the extinction of dinosaurs, not the evolution of plants.
4. Relate this to the fossil record: Fossil evidence supports the emergence of early land plants around 470 million years ago. These plants were simple and lacked the complexity of modern vascular plants.
5. Conclude the reasoning: Based on evolutionary biology and the fossil record, the correct answer is 470 million years ago. This marks the approximate time when plants evolved from green algae and began colonizing land.