When did the land bridge disappear and why it happen?

Around 15 million years ago, the land bridge between North and South America slowly began to submerge beneath the ocean. The movement of tectonic plates shifted these landmasses apart and created a deep sea separating them.

The formation of the Isthmus of Panama occurred more recently; it emerged from the ocean floor about 3 million years ago. The collision between the Caribbean and Nazca plates resulted in a series of volcanic eruptions that built up land above sea level. This event further separated North and South America, leading to the distinct ecosystems and species that inhabit each continent today.

Why did the land bridge disappear?

The disappearance of the land bridge between North and South America was a gradual process that occurred due to tectonic plate movement. As the tectonic plates that make up the Earth's crust shift and move, they can collide with or move away from each other. This movement can cause landmasses to merge or separate, leading to the formation of land bridges or the creation of deep ocean basins.

In the case of the North and South American land bridge, the movement of the tectonic plates beneath the ocean floor caused a widening gap between the two continents, eventually leading to the complete submergence of the land bridge and the formation of the deep ocean basin that separates them.