The vast diversity observed in present-day plants and animals was likely also present in the ancestors of these organisms; diversity tends to remain constant, and does not accumulate over time or in subsequent generations.

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This statement is incorrect. Diversity can accumulate over time and in subsequent generations due to various factors such as genetic mutations, natural selection, genetic drift, and gene flow, among others. This is evident in the ongoing process of speciation, which is the evolution of new species from a common ancestor, resulting in the accumulation of diversity over time.

The Vast Diversity Observed in Present-Day Plants and Animals Was