Plant and Animal Life of the Pacific Islands There are both great similarities and considerable diversity in the ecosystems that evolved on the islands of Oceania in and around the Pacific Ocean. [■]The islands, such as New Zealand, that were originally parts of continents still carry some small plant and animal remnants of their earlier biota (animal and plant life), and they also have been extensively modified by evolution, adaptation, and the arrival of new species. [■]By contrast, the other islands, which emerged via geological processes such as volcanism, possessed no terrestrial life, but over long periods, winds, ocean currents, and the feet, feathers, and digestive tracts of birds brought the seeds of plants and a few species of animals. [■] Only those species with ways of spreading to these islands were able to undertake the long journeys, and the various factors at play resulted in diverse combinations of new colonists on the islands. [■]One estimate is that the distribution of plants was 75 percent by birds, 23 percent by floating, and 2 percent by wind. 1. The passage supports which of the following statements about species on volcanic islands? O Volcanic island species are unlike the species found in other Pacific Ocean locations. O Volcanic islands lack the diversity of species found elsewhere in the Pacific. O Volcanic island species are all transplants from distant locations and exist in combinations not found elsewhere. O Volcanic island species differ from those on other islands in that animal species have greater diversity than plant species do. 2. According to paragraph 1, how did the majority of plant species arrive on islands created by geological processes such as volcanism? O They were transported by ocean currents. O They were carried to the islands by birds. O They were brought to the islands by humans. O They were transported by winds. 9. Look at the four squares [■] that indicate where the following sentence could be added to the passage. When varied ecosystems are present, they can be explained as resulting in part from the process that formed the islands. Where would the sentence best fit? Click on a square [■] to add the sentence to the passage. The migration of Oceanic biota was generally from west to east, with four major factors influencing their distribution and establishment. The first was the size and fertility of the islands on which they landed, with larger islands able to provide hospitality for a wider range of species. Second, the further east the islands, generally the less the species diversity, largely because of the distance that had to be crossed and because the eastern islands tended to be smaller, more scattered, and remote. This easterly decline in species diversity is well demonstrated by birds and coral fish. It is estimated that there were over 550 spe...
