The ostrich, emu, and rhea are all large flightless birds which are found widely dispersed geographically. Molecular evidence shows that they shared a common ancestor prior to the development of the continents they now occupy. Scientists hypothesize that once Gondwana (an ancient land mass) separated into what are now Africa, Australia, and South America, the resulting geographic isolation led to the three modern day species. This example would contribute to whose theory of evolution?

This example supports Charles Darwin's theory of evolution, specifically the concept of speciation through geographic isolation. According to Darwin's theory, species evolve over time through natural selection and the adaptation to their environments. When populations of a species become geographically isolated from each other, as the ostrich, emu, and rhea did when Gondwana separated into different continents, they can no longer interbreed. Over time, these isolated populations undergo different mutations and are subjected to different selective pressures in their unique environments. This leads to the divergence of the populations into distinct species, each adapted to their specific habitat. This process of speciation through geographic isolation is a fundamental aspect of Darwin's theory of evolution.