Final answer:
Island dwarfism is the process where large mammals evolve smaller body sizes on islands due to limited resources, lack of predators, and smaller suitable habitats.
Step-by-step explanation:
The phenomenon where large mammals evolve to have smaller body sizes on islands compared to their mainland counterparts is known as island dwarfism. This process occurs due to a number of factors chiefly linked to the environment of islands. These factors include limited resources, absence of predators, and perhaps a smaller range of suitable habitats. Due to these conditions, large mammals may evolve smaller body sizes because smaller individuals require fewer resources to survive and can reproduce more effectively in resource-scarce environments. Conversely, small animal species that do not face predation risks may grow larger since they do not need to hide or escape from predators.