Figure 25.3
-Upon being formed, oceanic islands, such as the Hawaiian Islands, should feature what characteristic, leading to which phenomenon?
A) mass extinctions, leading to bottleneck effect
B) major evolutionary innovations, leading to rafting to nearby continents
C) a variety of empty ecological niches, leading to adaptive radiation
D) adaptive radiation, leading to founder effect
E) overcrowding, leading to rafting to nearby lands

Question

Figure 25.3
-Upon being formed, oceanic islands, such as the Hawaiian Islands, should feature what characteristic, leading to which phenomenon?
A) mass extinctions, leading to bottleneck effect 
B) major evolutionary innovations, leading to rafting to nearby continents 
C) a variety of empty ecological niches, leading to adaptive radiation 
D) adaptive radiation, leading to founder effect 
E) overcrowding, leading to rafting to nearby lands

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

When oceanic islands, such as the Hawaiian Islands, are formed, they usually have a variety of ecological niches that are empty or do not have competitors. This lack of competition leads to the adaptive radiation of species, as they evolve different adaptations to fill these niches. This phenomenon is known as island biogeography, which is a classic example of how isolation can lead to divergent evolution.

Figure 25.3 -Upon Being Formed, Oceanic Islands, Such as the Hawaiian Islands