Submarine Morphology
There has been a lot of research done on the structure and morphology of the Galapagos Islands. This research will help scientists to understand how and why the islands are the way they are. The most current study is investigating the western-most islands.
Wildlife of the Galapagos
The Galapagos Islands are a unique place full of species that are found only here. Part of what makes it so special is how diverse the islands are. Something the Galapagos Islands are known for are their many types of finches, studied by Darwin. It seems that many of the bird species on the islands actually arrived by accident, due to their proximity to the mainland. They are too far away for a bird to just happen to fly there. Coastal storms may have carried them there, where they found better living conditions or less competition. There is also an abundance of sea turtles and tortoises. These along with many other endemic species call the Galapagos home and because of this, we have to protect this important ecosystem.
Conserving the Last Eden
Much like the other articles we've read, this video talks about the many special species that call the Galapagos home. The islands remain relatively untouched by man, so it is important to leave it as we found it. This delicate ecosystem is effected by invasive species, chemical pollution, and potential overuse.
Feral Goat Eradication
Hundreds of years ago, the Galapagos Islands were a popular port used by pirates and sailors. When they stopped there, they would pick up tortoises to store in the ship for meat later on. To make room for the tortoises, they would drop off their goats on the islands where they would grow in population. The goats were destroying all of the tortoise habitat, so in the 90's, locals and environmentalists decided they needed to eliminate the goats to save the threatened tortoises and their homes. So it was decided that helicopters would track down the herds of goats and shoot them, until all of the herds were eliminated. But some of the goats became smart, recognizing the sound of the helicopters as dangerous. They would hide under trees or stand very still until the hunters passed by. So to get even the sneakiest goats, one goat would be captured, sterilized, and given a tracking device. These "Judas goats" would travel from family group to family group, each time leading the hunters to a new group to eliminate. Today, the Judas goats still remain on the island to live out their lives peacefully until their services are needed again.
Tourism, the Economy, Population Growth, and Conservation in Galapagos
In the late 60's, environmental issues were recognized around the world, and thus, ecotourism was born. Through conservation of biologically diverse or geologically unique areas, visitors could could appreciate these special places on Earth while learning to protect it too. Ecotourism helped to grow Ecuador's economy, and this helped to improve local economies. In response to the growing economy, the population began to grow. But the growing population and ecotourism also held the potential for introducing invasive species, thereby compromising the species on the islands. There are several models for the future of ecotourism that keep in mind the conservation of the Galapagos, but the future holds lost of opportunities to educate and protect what special slivers of the Earth we have left.
Sustainable Ecotourism: The Galapagos Balance
One way that we can help to conserve the Galapagos (and really any place) is through ecotourism. When done correctly, it helps to create a sustainable system wherein people visit, donate, and learn. The ecotourists improve the local economy and share their knowledge with the world once they leave. There are always risks that go along with such endeavors, however. With more people, crime has increased along with the demand for certain types of seafood, which endangers local fisheries. Accommodations for the numbers of people who want to visit encroaches on the habitats of the local species.
Evolution in the Galapagos
Darwin travelled around South America, studying his surroundings on a ship called the Beagle. Through his observations, he realized that the world shaped its plants and animals for survival over many years. In the Galapagos, it is easy to see how the animals have adapted for survival, even between islands in close proximity to each other. The birds on each island have adapted to excel in their own individual settings. Whether it was their beaks or feathers or any number of other adaptations, they are the way they are because the environment made them that way.
Galapagos Finch Evolution
Charles Darwin was the first to notice how different the finches were on each island in the Galapagos. Each finch had developed a unique beak as a tool to get the food source available to them on that island. They are so different that Darwin initially thought they were completely different species of birds. Only one species arrived to the islands in the beginning. They adapted from that one species into 13 to each individual island's food source.
The Origin of Birds
The theory of evolution has long been studied and questioned since Darwin wrote about his findings in the Galapagos. One area that has always been debated is how birds evolved into what we know today. Recently discovered were fossils that actually showed features like feathered wings and a tail that are present in todays birds, but also it showed bones in the tail, like reptiles. This fossil is the start of birds as we know them. Darwin predicted creatures like this existed in a short of transition, but he never lived to see that discovery.
The Origin of Species
Over the course of Darwin's studies in the Galapagos and neighboring islands, he realized by observation that over many generations, genetic variation occurs. These variations may be beneficial, in which case that species will pass that particular trait onto its offspring. On the other hand, populations without that beneficial trait will not have offspring that are very successful, or they may not have the advantage when it comes to finding food, water, shelter, etc. By this logic, all the creatures he studies were the way they were because of many years of genetic trial and error. They were the winners after thousands of years of competition.