Soon after the island of Hawaii rose above the sea surface (somewhat less than one million years ago) , the evolution of life on this new island should have been most strongly influenced by ________.

Question

Soon after the island of Hawaii rose above the sea surface (somewhat less than one million years ago), the evolution of life on this new island should have been most strongly influenced by ________.

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The founder effect occurs when a small number of individuals from a parent population colonize a new area, leading to a loss of genetic variation as the new population is established. This would have been the most likely influence on the evolution of life on the new island of Hawaii, as it was colonized by a small number of individuals that would have carried a limited set of genetic variation from the parent population.

Soon After the Island of Hawaii Rose Above the Sea