Islands provide unique environments for studying patterns of biodiversity.
Researchers have examined how various island characteristics influence the number of species present.
The graph below presents data collected from islands of different sizes, showing the relationship between island area and species richness.
Species Richness vs. Island Area (Log-Log Scale
Identify the general trend shown in the graph for species richness as island area increases.
Describe one factor that contributes to the increase in species richness on larger islands.
Researchers are interested in testing how distance from the mainland affects island biodiversity.
They conduct an experiment on several islands that are different distances from the nearest mainland.
Identify the independent variable in this experiment.
Identify the dependent variable in this experiment.
Identify a testable hypothesis for this experiment.
The researchers find that islands located farther from the mainland tend to have fewer species.
Explain why islands farther from the mainland tend to have lower species richness.
The researchers also find that smaller islands have higher extinction rates than larger islands.
Explain why smaller islands tend to have higher extinction rates.
Propose a strategy conservationists could use to help maintain biodiversity on small islands.
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