scholarly journals ASSESING GEOGRAPHIC ISOLATION OF THE GALAPAGOS ISLANDS

2016 ◽  
Vol XLI-B8 ◽  
pp. 733-737 ◽  
Author(s):  
D. Orellana ◽  
F. Smith
Keyword(s):  
Travel Time ◽  
Human Impacts ◽  
Human Mobility ◽  
Galapagos Islands ◽  
Galápagos Islands ◽  
Island Conservation ◽  
Geographical Isolation ◽  
Galapagos Archipelago ◽  
Increased Risk ◽  
The One

The Galapagos Archipelago is one of the most important ecological spots in the planet due its unique biodiversity, active geology, and relatively well-preserved ecosystems. These characteristics are strongly based on the geographical isolation of the islands. On the one hand this isolation allowed the evolution processes that gave the islands their international fame and on the other hand it kept them from major human impacts that affected the vast majority of the Earth’s surface. Galapagos’ geographical isolation is therefore of mayor value, but it is rapidly diminishing due to the increase of marine and air transportation among islands and with the rest of the world. This increased accessibility implies enhanced risks for the ecological dynamics on the archipelago (e.g. increased risk of biological invasions, uncontrolled tourism growth, more water and energy consumption). Here, we introduce a general accessibility model to assess geographical isolation of the Galapagos Islands. The model aims to characterize accessibility in terms of human mobility by evaluating travel time to each point of the archipelago using all available transportation modalities. Using a multi criteria cost surface for marine and land areas, we estimated travel time for each surface unit using the fastest route and mode of transportation available while considering several friction factors such as surface type, slope, infrastructure, transfer points, legal restrictions, and physical barriers. We created maps to evaluate the isolation of different islands and places, highlighting the potential risks for several habitats and ecosystems. The model can be used for research and decision-making regarding island conservation, such as estimating spreading paths for invasive species, informing decisions on tourism management, and monitoring isolation changes of sensitive ecosystems.

scholarly journals ASSESING GEOGRAPHIC ISOLATION OF THE GALAPAGOS ISLANDS

2016 ◽  
Vol XLI-B8 ◽  
pp. 733-737
Author(s):  
D. Orellana ◽  
F. Smith
Keyword(s):  
Travel Time ◽  
Human Impacts ◽  
Human Mobility ◽  
Galapagos Islands ◽  
Galápagos Islands ◽  
Island Conservation ◽  
Geographical Isolation ◽  
Galapagos Archipelago ◽  
Increased Risk ◽  
The One

The Galapagos Archipelago is one of the most important ecological spots in the planet due its unique biodiversity, active geology, and relatively well-preserved ecosystems. These characteristics are strongly based on the geographical isolation of the islands. On the one hand this isolation allowed the evolution processes that gave the islands their international fame and on the other hand it kept them from major human impacts that affected the vast majority of the Earth’s surface. Galapagos’ geographical isolation is therefore of mayor value, but it is rapidly diminishing due to the increase of marine and air transportation among islands and with the rest of the world. This increased accessibility implies enhanced risks for the ecological dynamics on the archipelago (e.g. increased risk of biological invasions, uncontrolled tourism growth, more water and energy consumption). Here, we introduce a general accessibility model to assess geographical isolation of the Galapagos Islands. The model aims to characterize accessibility in terms of human mobility by evaluating travel time to each point of the archipelago using all available transportation modalities. Using a multi criteria cost surface for marine and land areas, we estimated travel time for each surface unit using the fastest route and mode of transportation available while considering several friction factors such as surface type, slope, infrastructure, transfer points, legal restrictions, and physical barriers. We created maps to evaluate the isolation of different islands and places, highlighting the potential risks for several habitats and ecosystems. The model can be used for research and decision-making regarding island conservation, such as estimating spreading paths for invasive species, informing decisions on tourism management, and monitoring isolation changes of sensitive ecosystems.

New littoral mite species (Acari, Oribatida, Fortuyniidae) from the Galápagos archipelago, with ecological and zoogeographical considerations

Zootaxa ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 4244 (1) ◽  
pp. 39 ◽  
Author(s):  
TOBIAS PFINGSTL ◽  
HEINRICH SCHATZ
Keyword(s):  
Littoral Zone ◽  
Galapagos Islands ◽  
Mite Species ◽  
Galápagos Islands ◽  
Santa Cruz ◽  
Ecological Preferences ◽  
Galapagos Archipelago ◽  
Unique Character ◽  
Cuticular Ridge

Two species of Fortuyniidae, found on the Galápagos Islands (Ecuador) are described and illustrated based on the adult and juvenile instars. Alismobates galapagoensis sp. nov. was found on six islands of the archipelago, in littoral and supralittoral habitats. It is morphologically similar to A. inexpectatus Pfingstl & Schuster, 2012 from Bermuda, but differs from that species and all other known congeners by a prominent cuticular ridge on epimeron III among other unique character combinations. Litoribates caelestis gen. and sp. nov. was found on the islands Santa Cruz and Bartolomé in the littoral zone under Maytenus and mangroves. Notes on distribution and ecological preferences of both species are included. 

scholarly journals Psidium guajava in the Galapagos Islands: population genetics and history of an invasive species

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Diego Urquía ◽  
Bernardo Gutiérrez ◽  
Gabriela Pozo ◽  
María José Pozo ◽  
Analía Espín ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Population Genetics ◽  
Invasive Plant ◽  
Psidium Guajava ◽  
Galapagos Islands ◽  
Historical Record ◽  
Galápagos Islands ◽  
Santa Cruz ◽  
Island Populations ◽  
Galapagos Archipelago ◽  
History Of

AbstractThe threat of invasive plant species in island populations prompts the need to better understand their population genetics and dynamics. In the Galapagos islands, this is exemplified by the introduced guava (Psidium guajava), considered one of the greatest threats to the local biodiversity due to its effective spread in the archipelago and its ability to outcompete endemic species. To better understand its history and genetics, we analyzed individuals from three inhabited islands in the Galapagos archipelago with 11 SSR markers. Our results reveal similar genetic diversity between islands, suggestive of gene flow between them. Populations appear to be distinct between the islands of San Cristobal and Isabela, with the population of Santa Cruz being composed as a mixture from both. Additional evidence for genetic bottlenecks and the inference of introduction events suggests an original introduction of the species in San Cristobal, from where it was later introduced to Isabela, and finally into Santa Cruz. Alternatively, an independent introduction event for Isabela is also possible. These results are contrasted with the historical record, providing a first overview of the history of P. guajava in the Galapagos islands and its current population dynamics.

scholarly journals Origin and dispersion pathways of guava in the Galapagos Islands inferred through genetics and historical records

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Diego Urquia ◽  
Bernardo Gutierrez ◽  
Gabriela Pozo ◽  
Maria Pozo ◽  
Maria Torres
Keyword(s):  
Genetic Diversity ◽  
Psidium Guajava ◽  
Galapagos Islands ◽  
Genetic Distances ◽  
Galápagos Islands ◽  
Santa Cruz ◽  
Historical Sources ◽  
Introduction History ◽  
Galapagos Archipelago ◽  
History Of

Guava (Psidium guajava) is one of the most aggressive invasive plants in the Galapagos Islands. Determining its provenance and genetic diversity could provide valuable information for its control. With this purpose, we analyzed 11 SSR markers in guava individuals collected from Isabela, Santa Cruz, San Cristobal and Floreana islands in the Galapagos, as well as from mainland Ecuador. The mainland guava population appeared genetically differentiated from the Galapagos populations, with higher genetic diversity levels found in the former. By using different approaches for data analysis, we consistently found that the Central Highlands region of mainland Ecuador is one of the most likely origins of the Galapagos populations. Moreover, the guavas from Isabela and Floreana show a potential genetic input from southern mainland Ecuador, while the population from San Cristobal would be linked to the coastal mainland regions. Interestingly, the proposed origins for the Galapagos guava coincide with the first human settlings of the archipelago. By employing Approximate Bayesian Computation, we propose a model where San Cristobal was the first island to be colonized by guava from the mainland, from which it would have spread to Floreana and finally to Santa Cruz; Isabela would have been seeded from Floreana. An independent trajectory could also have contributed in the invasion of Floreana and Isabela. The pathway shown in our model agrees with the human colonization history of the different islands in the Galapagos. Our model, in conjunction with the clustering patterns of the guava individuals (based on genetic distances), suggests that guava introduction history in the Galapagos archipelago was driven predominantly by a single event (or events in rapid succession) instead of several independent introductions. We thus show that genetic analyses supported by historical sources can be used to answer questions on the variability and history of guava in the Galapagos Islands.

NOAA's Response to the Jessica Oil Spill in the Galapagos Archipelago

2003 ◽  
Vol 2003 (1) ◽  
pp. 1091-1095 ◽  
Author(s):  
Charlie Henry ◽  
Ed Levine
Keyword(s):  
The United States ◽  
Galapagos Islands ◽  
Coast Guard ◽  
Fuel Oil ◽  
Galápagos Islands ◽  
Response Effort ◽  
United States Coast Guard ◽  
State Of Emergency ◽  
Home Team ◽  
Galapagos Archipelago

ABSTRACT During the night of 16 January 2001, the 260-foot tanker, Jessica, grounded on a reef at the entrance to Wreak Bay on the island of San Cristobal. Ironically, the site of the grounding was very near where Darwin first stepped ashore in 1835. Ecuador, realizing the threat posed by spilling more than 240,000 gallons of diesel and intermediate fuel oil, declared a state of emergency and made a request for assistance. NOAA immediately sent spill response and environmental experts as part of the United States Coast Guard (USCG) response effort to the remote islands. The Galapagos Islands are composed of shorelines not atypical of those NOAA has responded to in the past, but the unique wildlife, including many species found only in the Galapagos Islands, made this response different. This paper documents the USCG-NOAA mission, provides and overview of the incident response, an estimated oil mass balance, and the NOAA HAZMAT AWAY Team - HOME Team concept.

Tourism in the Galápagos Islands: The Dilemma of Conservation

1989 ◽  
Vol 16 (3) ◽  
pp. 227-232 ◽  
Author(s):  
Richard A. Kenchington
Keyword(s):  
Charles Darwin ◽  
Galapagos Islands ◽  
Small Scale ◽  
Galápagos Islands ◽  
Special Significance ◽  
Galapagos Archipelago ◽  
The Face ◽  
Tourist Infrastructure ◽  
Tourist Development

The Galapágos Archipelago is an area of very special significance to ecologists. Its unique flora and fauna, rugged scenery, and historical connections with Charles Darwin, make it a place of environmental pilgrimage. Between 1970 and 1985, visiting tourist numbers, comprised largely of foreign naturalists, grew from negligible levels to about 15,000 per annum. In 1987, visitor arrivals to the Galápagos grew to 32,500 following the opening of a second airport in 1986.Management of tourism has involved a policy which requires most visitors to be accommodated on boats, places strict controls on the sites which can be visited, and requires tourists to be accompanied by highly-trained Naturalist Guides. The policy precludes development of any substantial island-based tourist infrastructure. Recently this approach has become increasingly inadequate in the face of rapid small-scale, little coordinated, tourist development.

scholarly journals Evidence of cannibalism in a population of western Galápagos racers Pseudalsophis occidentalis (Serpentes: Colubridae)

2021 ◽  
pp. 6-11
Author(s):  
LUIS ORTIZ-CATEDRAL
Keyword(s):  
Natural History ◽  
Trophic Interactions ◽  
Galapagos Islands ◽  
Galápagos Islands ◽  
Galapagos Archipelago ◽  
Faecal Samples ◽  
History Of ◽  
Common Behaviour ◽  
Prey Items

Cannibalism is a common behaviour among snakes, but it has not yet been verified for any of the nine species of Galápagos racer (Pseudalsophis spp.), a group endemic to the Galápagos archipelago, Ecuador. Galápagos racers are opportunistic generalists feeding on a variety of vertebrate prey. There are a few anecdotal and suspected attempts of cannibalism among Galápagos racers, but it is unclear whether this behaviour occurs and if so, how frequent it is. We analysed 61 faecal samples from western Galápagos racers (Pseudalsophis occidentalis). In addition to the remains of well known prey items such as lizards, we found snake teeth and skin fragments in 11 samples. Combined with previous observations of attempted cannibalism between western Galápagos racers, our results represent evidence that this species consumes other racers as prey. Our study contributes to a growing knowledge of the natural history of Galápagos racers and highlights the role of these reptiles in complex trophic interactions in the Galápagos islands.

THE GALÁPAGOS ISLANDS’ GENUS NEORYCTES ARROW (COLEOPTERA: SCARABAEIDAE: DYNASTINAE)

1995 ◽  
Vol 127 (2) ◽  
pp. 177-193 ◽  
Author(s):  
Joyce Cook ◽  
H.F. Howden ◽  
S.B. Peck
Keyword(s):  
New Species ◽  
Central America ◽  
Morphological Variation ◽  
Galapagos Islands ◽  
The Other ◽  
Galápagos Islands ◽  
Santa Cruz ◽  
Taxonomic History ◽  
The One ◽  
A New Species

AbstractThe endemic Galápagos’ genus Neoryctes Arrow has had a confused nomenclatorial and taxonomic history. Evaluation of morphological variation in the 41 specimens now available confirms the distinctiveness of the genus and establishes the existence of four species, each restricted to a single island. The original Darwin specimen, named Oryctes galapagoensis by G.R. Waterhouse in 1845, is shown to be from Isla Santiago. Two other names are valid: N. linelli Mutchler for the population on San Cristobal and N. moreti Dechambre for the one on Santa Cruz. The population on Floreana is named as a new species, N. williamsi. Neoryctes most likely originated from a Pentodontini dynastine ancestor from lowland South or Central America. The ancestor first dispersed to Isla San Cristobal, one of the oldest islands. It is hypothesized that before hindwing reduction occurred, which is now characteristic of all members of the genus, individuals from San Cristobal spread to the other islands. Subsequently, possibly during periods of Pleistocene aridity, each population became restricted to its present range in the moist highland zone of an individual island.

scholarly journals The Fate of Wildlife in the Galapagos Islands

Oryx ◽  
1961 ◽  
Vol 6 (1) ◽  
pp. 53-59
Author(s):  
Jean Dorst
Keyword(s):  
Charles Darwin ◽  
Galapagos Islands ◽  
Galápagos Islands ◽  
Galapagos Archipelago

On the 15th of September, 1835, a young naturalist landed on Chatham, the most easterly island of the Galapagos archipelago: he was none other than Charles Darwin, and it was there he first came into contact with the facts over which he pondered during the immortal voyage of the Beagle and which his genius translated into theories on evolution.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document