Final answer:
Island biology studies the evolution of species on islands, such as the Komodo dragon, where they can become top predators. Lizards on an island without predators may evolve camouflage, spines, or toxins, while those with predators would adapt differently for survival.
Step-by-step explanation:
The subject of island biology involves studying how species evolve and fill ecological niches on islands. In the case of an island with no top predators, an example of a creature that can occupy the niche of a top predator, like the Komodo dragon, is possibly a large, dominant lizard species. These top predators are crucial in their ecosystems, often controlling the population sizes of other species, thereby maintaining the balance of the ecosystem.
In an instance where two populations of lizards become isolated on different islands post-tsunami, one with predators and one without, we can predict that the population on the predator-free island might evolve traits such as camouflaged coloration, sharp spines, or toxins to mitigate potential threats if predators were to arrive. In contrast, the lizards on the island with a fierce predators would likely develop different strategies for survival, perhaps becoming faster or more elusive to escape predation. As a result, the two lizard populations would exhibit distinct physical and behavioral adaptations after 100 years.