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The islands of Hawaii in the Pacific Ocean were formed as a result of volcanic action in which small land masses were thrown up by submarine volcanoes - VCE - SSCE Biology - Question 7 - 2010 - Paper 1
Question 7
The islands of Hawaii in the Pacific Ocean were formed as a result of volcanic action in which small land masses were thrown up by submarine volcanoes. The youngest ... show full transcript
Worked Solution & Example Answer:The islands of Hawaii in the Pacific Ocean were formed as a result of volcanic action in which small land masses were thrown up by submarine volcanoes - VCE - SSCE Biology - Question 7 - 2010 - Paper 1
Step 1
What assumption is made about the formation of strata when interpreting profiles such as this?
Answer
The assumption is that the strata nearer to the top are more recent, while older strata lie beneath in chronological order. This helps in interpreting the history of the geological and biological events that took place.
Step 2
State a hypothesis to account for the disappearance of many of the bird species from the groups of islands.
Answer
A hypothesis to account for the disappearance of many bird species could be that habitat destruction due to human activities, such as urban development or agriculture, as well as predation by introduced species like dogs, led to the decline in bird populations.
Step 3
Provide evidence to support your hypothesis.
Answer
Evidence to support this hypothesis includes findings of charred plant remains in strata indicating habitat destruction by humans. Additionally, the presence of dog remains suggests predation on native bird species, amplifying their decline.
Step 4
Step 5
Explain how the new and old colonies became separate species.
Answer
The new and old colonies can become separate species through the process of allopatric speciation. Geographical isolation limits gene flow between populations, leading to evolutionary divergence over time due to different selective pressures, mutations, and adaptations to their respective environments.