Due to its location, Hawaii does not have very many land birds. The Hawaiian honeycreepers are a favorite for many ornithologists. There are over 50 species of honeycreepers that can all be traced back to one ancestor. The level of diversity in an ecosystem can be determined by the frequency of speciation and extinction. a) Describe speciation and identify two possible prezygotic barriers of the Hawaiian honeycreepers that contribute to speciation.
b) If the Hawaiian honeycreepers became extinct, explain how the newly available niches could lead to speciation.