Mammals evolve faster on smaller islands.

摘要: Island mammals often display remarkable evolutionary changes in size and morphology. Both theory empirical data support the hypothesis that island evolve at faster rates than their mainland congeners. It is also assumed effect stronger evolution on smallest islands. I used a dataset assembled from literature to test these assumptions for first time. show smaller islands do indeed more rapidly larger islands, by greater amount. These results fit well of an burst due opening new ecological opportunities This expected be strongest where contrast between environments most dramatic.