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 would have been the strongest influence on the evolution of life on the new island of Hawaii, as only a small number of individuals would have founded the population and their genetic makeup would have heavily influenced the genetic makeup of the entire population. A genetic bottleneck may also have played a role in the evolution of the island's species, but the founder effect would likely have been the more significant influence. Sexual selection and habitat differentiation may also have played a role in the evolution of specific species, but they would not have been the primary influence on the overall evolution of life on the new island.

Soon After the Island of Hawaii Rose Above the Sea