paleocontinent

A paleocontinent or palaeocontinent is a distinct area of continental crust that existed as a major landmass in the geological past. There have been many different landmasses throughout Earth's time. They range in sizes since some are just a collection of small microcontinents, and others are large conglomerates of crust. As time progresses, and sea levels rise and fall more crust can be exposed, which makes way for larger landmasses. The continents of the past shaped the evolution of organisms on Earth and contributed to the climate of the globe as well. As landmasses break apart, species are separated and those that were once the same now have evolved to their new climate. The constant movement of these landmasses greatly determines the distribution of organisms on Earth's surface.

That is evident with how similar fossils are found on distant continents. Also, as continents move, mountain-building events (orogenies) occur, causing a shift in the global climate as new rock is exposed. There is more exposed rock at higher elevations, which causes glacial ice expansion and an overall cooler global climate. The movement of the continents greatly affects the overall dispersal of organisms throughout the world and the trend in climate throughout Earth's history.