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Island Gigantism - Aman Lalwani

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Island gigantism is a biological phenomenon in which animals living on an island grow much larger in size than their mainland relatives in the absence of predators. The phenomenon is  corroborated by Foster’s rule, which explains how an organism’s size differs in relation to its surrounding environment and resources . Miscellaneous islands shelter organisms which have been subject to this phenomenon and they are continually studied to provide concrete evidence for evolution. New Zealand is a renowned example of island gigantism and has intrigued scientists for a long time. Although the phenomenon has existed for millennia, widespread expansion of humanity and introduction of invasive species (predators) onto fragile islands have led to the extinction of various giant organisms.  In 1964, J.Bristol Foster introduced the concept of island gigantism in the published paper ‘Evolution of Mammals on Island.’ This was done based on a survey which involved the comparison of 116 island-living