Question

what factors would cause the extinction rate of an island to increase?

Answer 1

Island species are especially vulnerable to extinction because they have a small geographic range.

They are limited to the island or a particular part of the island, and they usually have low population numbers.

These factors make them more likely to become extinct as a result of natural factors such as disease, fire, and normal population fluctuations.

If the population is small to begin with, a natural occurrence may occasionally kill enough individuals so there is no longer a viable population of that species.

This dynamic is exacerbated when introduced species such as humans, their domesticated animals, pests, and diseases arrive on the island. Native species that have evolved without contact with these new organisms are often unable to compete or defend themselves.

Habitat destruction, direct hunting, competition for food, and other factors put intense pressure on island species.