Final answer:
The statement is false; Homo floresiensis, despite its small brain size, exhibited complex behaviors such as tool use and fire production not just as a result of an environment with no predators but likely due to neurological specialization and a maintained brain-to-body ratio through the process of island dwarfism.
Step-by-step explanation:
The statement "Floresiensis is an outlier to the usual relationship between brain case, body size, and association with tools. While there is evidence of the abilities described, they were probably due to a less competitive island environment with no predators or nutrients." is false. Although Homo floresiensis has a small brain volume of 380 cc, this species demonstrates a complex behavior including the use of tools and fire that is not merely the result of an environment with no predators or poor nutrients. Island dwarfism is one of the evolutionary explanations for the small brain size observed in Homo floresiensis. This phenomenon is where large species that migrate to an island environment with limited resources may evolve into smaller forms. Despite their small brain volume, evidence suggests that Floresiensis maintained high cognitive abilities similar to their mainland relatives, possibly because of neurological reorganization that might have allowed these hominins to maintain a high level of intellectual functioning proportionate to their body size within their smaller cranial capacity. This theory is further supported by the unique sizes of other fauna on the island, like the dwarf elephant Stegodon.