Question

Consider two islands located an equal distance from a mainland, which is the colonization source. One island is large, the other is small.

Which island will have a higher rate of change in species composition?
a. The rate of change in species composition will be the same on both islands.
b. the large island
c. Species composition does not change at equilibrium
d. the small island

Answer 1

The rate of change in species composition will be higher on the small island compared to the large island.

Step-by-step explanation:

The rate of change in species composition will be higher on the small island compared to the large island. This is because smaller islands have lower migration rates, fewer niches for speciation, and higher probability of extinction due to smaller populations.

Islands farther from a mainland have lower migration rates, which means that new species are less likely to arrive on the island. Smaller islands also have fewer niches for speciation, which limits the development of new species. Lastly, smaller islands support smaller populations, which increases the probability of extinction.