As the plate moves over the hot spot, new volcanoes are made. Given enough energy and time, these underwater volcanoes can emerge from the ocean and create islands. One such case being studied now is Loihi, an under water volcano 30 miles southeast of the island of Hawaii. With this sequential formation of the islands and scientific technology such as Potassium-Argon dating, scientists can estimate the age of an island. Factors that influence life.
T here are many factors that influence the biological setting in the Hawaiian Islands.
One of these factors is the extreme isolation of the Hawaiian Islands from other landmasses. The great distance from other lands was a major factor that early organisms had to overcome. There is also isolation within the islands. The water between the islands can sometimes be a barrier. Valleys can isolate species such as in the case of the Hawaiian endemic land snail, Achatinella .