Too simple models may predict the island rule for the wrong reasons

Biddick & Burns (2021) proposed a null/neutral model that reproduces the island rule as a product of random drift. We agree that it is unnecessary to assume adaptive processes driving island dwarfing or gigantism, but several flaws make their approach unrealistic and thus unsuitable as a stochastic model for evolutionary size changes.

Automated summary

Biddick & Burns (2021) proposed a null/neutral model to explain the island rule without assuming adaptive processes driving dwarfism or gigantism, but their approach has several flaws that make it unrealistic and unsuitable as a stochastic model for evolutionary size changes.