 The volcanic origin and remote location of the islands isolate them from the flora and fauna species of continental South America.As a result, the island is home to relatively few plant and animal species.The closest relatives of the archipelago's plants and animals are found in the temperate broadleaf and mixed forest ecoregions of Southern Chile, including the Valdivian temperate rain forests, Magellanic subpolar forests, and Desventuradas Islands.