Why were hamlets common on larger volcanic islands such as the Marquesas?

On larger volcanic islands such as the Marquesas Islands, hamlets were a common settlement pattern because food resources were diversified and scattered across various environmental zones.1

These hamlets typically consisted of a few households or one or two extended families. In the Marquesas, the population traditionally spread up the sides of deep, narrow valleys in small clusters of houses, often situated near gardens, taro patches, and trees bearing coconut and breadfruit. This decentralized arrangement allowed communities to remain in close proximity to the varied resources necessary for subsistence, which were distributed throughout the rugged landscape.1