I see no other alternative to evolution than creationism of some sort or other.
The YEC version of creationism is thoroughly refuted. And that refutation does not require evolution.
Sure, there could be other versions of creationism, the deist's version for example. But those satisfy neither the YEC nor the requirements of biology.
Compassionate conservatism - bringing you a kinder, gentler torture chamber
I'm sure the consensus is that it is attributed to continental drift. There is another theory that the magnetic polarity shifts every few thousand years and the poles reverse. Some have tried to make persuasive arguments in defense of it to explain why tropical plants are in an arctic region, but this particular claim lacks some backbone.
I don't think there is much doubt that there have been magnetic polarity reversals. However, I can't recall that ever being used as an explanation of the evidence of fossils of tropical plants in what are now frigid regions. My understanding is that the actual evidence of magnetic reversals is mostly obtained in the vicinity of mid-ocean ridges.
Compassionate conservatism - bringing you a kinder, gentler torture chamber