Figure 23.3
-According to the theory of sea-floor spreading, oceanic islands, such as the Hawaiian Islands depicted in Figure 23.3, form as oceanic crustal plates move over a stationary "hot spot" in the mantle. Currently, the big island of Hawaii is thought to be over a hot spot, which is why it is the only one of the seven islands that has active volcanoes. What should be true of the island of Hawaii? 1. Scientists in search of ongoing speciation events are more likely to find them here than on the other six islands.
2) Its species should be more closely related to those of nearer islands than to those of farther islands.
3) It should have a rich fossil record of terrestrial organisms.
4) There is a good chance of finding endemic species on this island.
5) On average, it should have fewer species per unit surface area than the other six islands.
A) 1, 2, and 3
B) 1, 2, and 5
C) 1, 2, 3, and 4
D) 1, 2, 4, and 5
E) 2, 3, 4, and 5

Question

Figure 23.3
-According to the theory of sea-floor spreading, oceanic islands, such as the Hawaiian Islands depicted in Figure 23.3, form as oceanic crustal plates move over a stationary "hot spot" in the mantle. Currently, the big island of Hawaii is thought to be over a hot spot, which is why it is the only one of the seven islands that has active volcanoes. What should be true of the island of Hawaii? 1. Scientists in search of ongoing speciation events are more likely to find them here than on the other six islands.
2) Its species should be more closely related to those of nearer islands than to those of farther islands.
3) It should have a rich fossil record of terrestrial organisms.
4) There is a good chance of finding endemic species on this island.
5) On average, it should have fewer species per unit surface area than the other six islands.
A) 1, 2, and 3 
B) 1, 2, and 5 
C) 1, 2, 3, and 4 
D) 1, 2, 4, and 5 
E) 2, 3, 4, and 5

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The presence of an active volcanism, combined with isolation from other land masses, provides a unique opportunity for ongoing speciation events on the island. The island's species should have closer similarities to those on neighboring islands due to the proximity and potential for gene flow. The isolation and unique geologic history make it likely to find endemic species on the island. Additionally, the island's smaller size and younger geological age suggest that it may have fewer species per unit surface area compared to the larger, older islands. However, there is no reason to expect a rich fossil record of terrestrial organisms.

Figure 23.3 -According to the Theory of Sea-Floor Spreading, Oceanic Islands, Such