Extended Response "Against All Odds: Earth's Fragile Pioneers" describes "the invasion of life" that arrived on the volcanic islands of Hawaii. What is the central idea of the article? How does the author use supporting details to develop the central idea? Use details from the article to support your response. In your response, be sure to identify the central idea of the article and explain how the author uses supporting details to develop the central idea use details from the article to support your response


Text:

from "Against All Odds:
Earth's Fragile Pioneers"
by Stephen James O'Meara, Odyssey Magazine

1 One species every 70,000 years! That's the rate at which plants and animals once colonized the Hawaiian Islands. Countless millions of them had the chance, but only the most rugged pioneers-a salt-resistant seed, an insect clinging to a raft of wood, a strong-winged bird-survived the long voyage across the Pacific from their native continents. Of the hundreds of species that did make it to Hawaii, only a few survived the seclusion and harshness of the burning volcanic islands. It took time, but these barren new "worlds," risen from the sea and born of fire, finally surrendered to the slow but persistent assault of life.

2 Of course, the story of the invasion of life is similar all across the globe. But what makes the Hawaii story special is the incredible distance life had to travel to get there. Remote and alone in the heart of the North Pacific, Hawaii is the most isolated island group on Earth. . . . Yet, life did get to Hawaii, and it did so in three ways: by wind, wings, and water.

3 Wind. Many of Hawaii's plants, spiders, and insects have origins in Asia, thanks to a torrent of thin air called the jet stream, which roars across the upper atmosphere with hurricane force. Each January, the eastward-flowing jet stream makes a southerly meander over Asia. As the wind in the jet stream moves away from Asia, it slows to a minimum of about 110 kph just over Hawaii. Are you getting the picture? Quite a transport mechanism here! Now, picture this: A gale-force wind in Asia strips a plant of its seeds and lifts a few spiders and insects off the ground, making them airborne ... where they are then transported eastward at hurricane force until the winds slow and the seeds, spiders, and insects sprinkle down on the islands. The entire journey can take just four hours!

4 Wings. Insects, seeds, and spiders (as well as other life forms)
can take alternate means of transport to Hawaii-such as hitching
a ride on a migrating or storm-driven bird. With a wingspan of
over two meters, the great frigate bird is a soaring wonder. Its
powerful wings can carry it effortlessly across the tropical Pacific.
Now imagine one of these gets caught in a hurricane. It soars with
the wind until it sights land-in this case, Hawaii. After a long
journey, it rests. A seed from a favorite berry it has eaten drops
into a crevice and, in time, takes root. Years later, another great
flier arrives. Preening itself, the bird frees a seed or a sticky land
snail from its feathers. One by one, over the millennia, these birds
have transported troops of accidental "tourists" to Hawaii.

5
Water. Partnered with the wind, surface currents waltz around the world's oceans, carrying with them all sorts of debris. Few seafaring seeds have what it takes to survive the long, meandering journey to Hawaii.... One plant whose seeds meet these requirements is the Hala-one of the world's oldest known flowering plants, dating back 250 million years. How do its seeds survive the salty ocean? They are snuggled in a blanket of spongy material, which can float in the sea for months or even years. A species of Hawaiian crickets rafted in on pieces of floating wood. They had to struggle to survive on harsh Hawaii, feeding on organic debris tossed to shore by wind and wave. They soon adapted, however, giving rise to an endemic species-one found nowhere else on Earth.