Updates from the Galapagos Islands! | June 2023
Charles Darwin Foundation for the Galapagos Islands
We safeguard Galapagos through science and conservation action. Join us!
Dear?Friend,
On this International Day of the Tropics, we wanted to share with you some exciting updates from our Research Station and express our heartfelt gratitude for your support.
Thanks to your continued support, we reported the most successful nesting season yet for the critically endangered?mangrove finches?and the?little vermilion flycatchers. In other exciting developments, we joined forces with?WWF and USAID in a $11.9m project to protect sharks and rays in Ecuadorian waters. We also published our?Impact Report 2022?and held a very engaging?Ocean’s Day webinar?with our deep-sea scientists, which is available for replay on our Youtube channel. June also marked the anniversary of the death of?Lonesome George, which serves to remind us that no place on earth – not even Galapagos – is immune to the threat of extinctions.
But our work doesn’t stop here. We continue to need your help. Your contribution, big or small, will sustain our programs, enable us to scale our impact, and make progress in our mission to safeguard Galapagos through science and conservation action.?Please consider donating today.?If you're unable to contribute, advocacy and spreading the word are equally valuable.?
Thank you for making an impact with us???
Charles Darwin Foundation, WWF, and USAID Join Forces to Protect Sharks and Rays in Ecuadorian Waters
USAID has awarded us a?funding of $11.9 million over five years, which will go towards the conservation of sharks and rays in Ecuadorian waters through the design and implementation of an innovative governance framework that promotes sustainable fishing practices. Given the project's focus on fishing communities along the coast of mainland Ecuador, we are pleased to partner with WWF-Ecuador for its implementation, thereby complementing our strengths and expertise.
Renewed hope for the critically endangered Mangrove Finches and Little Vermilion Flycatchers!
18 healthy?Mangrove Finch?fledglings successfully left their nests this nesting season, joining the population of about 100 mangrove finches left!
These fledglings symbolize renewed hope, as their journey contributes to the revitalization of a species on the brink of extinction.
12 new juvenile?Little Vermilion Flycatchers?successfully fledged this year, up from 7 in 2022 and 8 in 2021. This species only has 30 individuals left in the?Scalesia?forest in the highlands of Santa Cruz and it is vital we continue to protect this unique ecosystem.
HELP US SAVE THE SCALESIA?FOREST TODAY
The?Scalesia pedunculata?forest on Santa Cruz Island forms a unique ecosystem with birds and insects found nowhere else on earth, including the Darwin’s finches and Little Vermilion Flycatcher. But this unique ecosystem is threatened by invasive species, making the forest slowly disappear.?If left uncontrolled, the forest could quasi-disappear in?20 years, a?recent study found.
With your help, we can scale our efforts to control invasive species and protect this unique forest.
Help us make a tangible impact today.??? DONATE NOW
Remembering Lonesome George: Lessons from a Vanishing Species
June 24 marked?the 11th?anniversary of the loss of a true Galapagos legend: Lonesome George. His lonesome status serves as a poignant reminder of the urgent need for conservation efforts to protect endangered species and their habitats.
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Discover the story behind the remarkable and serendipitous discovery of Lonesome George and the expedition CDF led with the Galapagos National Park to find him.
Ecuador’s historic debt-for-nature swap
In May, the Ecuadorian government announced another historic milestone for the conservation of Galapagos with the largest debt-for-nature swap ever to be done to date.?Our Executive Director, Rakan Zahawi noted:?"This is a major step towards protecting key migratory species such as the scalloped hammerhead shark, a critically endangered species. However, it is essential to take advantage of this unique opportunity to further accelerate our impactful research and conservation efforts towards the creation of a marine corridor throughout the entire Eastern Tropical Pacific."
MARK YOUR CALENDARS!
Check out?our latest videos???
Blue-footed Boobies featured in our #SundayFunFacts!
Blue-footed boobies are exceptional divers, with unique eyes adapted for hunting underwater. They breed in colonies, with both parents caring for the eggs and chicks. Visit the Galapagos to witness their captivating appearance and behavior, but remember to respect their space and avoid using flash photography.
Ocean Day in Galapagos???
Galapagos Green Sea Turtles
Atlantis Expedition
Scientific publications
Climate change threatens island reptiles with small populations and temperature-dependent sex determination (TSD).?Ainoa Nieto, and other researchers studied Galapagos tortoises on Santa Cruz Island, finding that higher elevations had cooler nest temperatures and a higher proportion of male juveniles. Temperatures on Galapagos are predicted to increase by 1-4°C over the next 50 years, which is likely to increase the frequency of female tortoises across the archipelago, impacting population sex ratios.
Publication:?Temperature along an elevation gradient determines Galapagos tortoise sex ratios.
Journal:?Ecology and Evolution
Date:?April, 2023
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Microbial colonization affects host health and understanding the gut microbiome is crucial for conservation.?Gustavo Jiménez-Uzcátegui, along with other scientists, examine the gut microbiome of endangered Galapagos penguins, identifying dominant bacteria, metabolic functions, antibiotic resistance genes, and potential pathogens. Penguin age and the presence of?Clostridium perfringens?influence microbial community diversity. This research establishes a baseline for the penguin species and highlights the importance of microbiome research in conservation efforts.
Publication:?Composition and function of the Galapagos penguin gut microbiome vary with age, location, and a putative bacterial pathogen.
Journal:?Scientific Reports
领英推荐
Date:?April, 2023
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Heinrich Schatz?clarifies that the species?Cultrobates heterodactylus?was incorrectly reported in the Galapagos archipelago. Morphological differences between specimens from Galapagos and?C. heterodactylus?from Panama have been identified. Two new species,?Cultrobates ermilovi?and?Cultrobates subiasi, are described from Galapagos, along with observations on their colonization patterns and habitat preferences. Corrections to previous distribution data are provided.
Publication:?The genus?Cultrobates?(Acari: Oribatida: Ceratokalummidae) in the Galapagos Islands and Central America.
Journal:?Acarologia
Date:?April, 2023
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Bradley J. Sinclair?presented an updated annotated checklist of the Diptera fauna in the Galápagos Islands. It includes 50 families, 207 genera, and at least 324 species. Human introductions account for 107 species, 101 species are considered endemic, 42 species naturally colonized from mainland Americas, 21 species are either introduced or arrived naturally, and 53 species remain unidentified. The study also proposes a new combination for?Chrysanthrax primitivus?(Walker) as?Hemipenthes primitivus?(Walker) comb. nov. The checklist provides references, island species distributions, and biological information.
Publication:?An annotated checklist of the Diptera of the Galápagos Archipelago (Ecuador).
Journal:?Zootaxa
Date:?May, 2023
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Nicolás Moity, Jorge Ramírez-González,?and?Solange Andrade-Vera, and other researchers found that the cabezudo fish (Caulolatilus affinis) has high concentrations of the heavy metal cadmium but also high levels of the essential metals, calcium and iron. It is preferable to consume up to 140 grams per week. The camotillo fish (Paralabrax albomaculatus) has high levels of cadmium but also contains zinc, iron, magnesium, and calcium. It is best to consume up to 500 grams per week. The guajo fish (Acanthocybium solandri) and brujo fish (Pontinus clemensi) contribute to iron, magnesium, calcium, and zinc intake. It is believed that the metals in these fish originate from volcanic activity in the Galapagos and not from anthropogenic sources.
Publication:?Analysis of metals and metalloid in commercial fish species from the Galapagos Marine Reserve: Toxicological and nutritional assessment.
Journal:?Marine Pollution Bulletin
Date:?April, 2023
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Heinke J?ger?and other researchers showed that the distribution and population size of the Galapagos Tree Daisy?Scalesia pedunculata?suffers from competition with blackberry (Rubus niveus). A removal experiment and subsequent 8 years of monitoring on Santa Cruz Island, Galapagos, showed that?S. pedunculata?completely fails to recruit in the presence of blackberry. Results suggest that?S. pedunculata?may face local extinction in less than two decades without control of blackberry.
Publication:?Endemic Galapagos Tree Daisy Scalesia pedunculata Threatened by Competition with Nonnative Blackberry Rubus niveus.
Journal:?The Bulletin of the Ecological Society of America
Date:?April, 2023
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Sarah Ryan Enright?examines State-led regional cooperation in the Eastern Tropical Pacific Ocean (ETPO) to establish a transboundary marine corridor. She discusses rule of law challenges such as the absence of a legally binding treaty, limited sectoral participation and the lack of a cohesive regional ocean governance framework. The potential influence of the new global treaty on biodiversity beyond national jurisdiction (BBNJ) on ETPO's regional ocean governance mechanisms is also analyzed.
Publication:?Regional Cooperation for the Conservation of Marine Biodiversity in the Eastern Tropical Pacific: A Rule of Law Perspective
Journal:?Cambridge University Press
Date:?February, 2023
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David J. Anderson,?and a team of researchers investigated how age and environmental factors influence foraging performance in Nazca boobies. The findings revealed that middle-aged birds exhibited better foraging performance compared to young and old birds. Environmental conditions played a role in modulating age-related differences in foraging performance. Female boobies showed patterns of early-life improvement and late-life decline in certain foraging traits. The study suggests that age-related deficits in resource acquisition may contribute to poor survival and reproductive outcomes, especially in older females.
Publication:?Age effects on Nazca booby foraging performance are largely constant across variation in the marine environment: Results from a 5‐year study in Galápagos.
Journal:?Ecology and Evolution
Date:?June, 2023
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Water scarcity and salinity limit agriculture in the Galapagos Islands. Hydrogel and Growboxx were tested as water-saving solutions.?Patricia Jaramillo Díaz, and other researchers, found that Hydrogel improved yields, while Growboxx had varying effects. Results varied across crops and locations. The findings provide guidance for adopting suitable technologies in the Galapagos Islands' farms.
Publication:?Water-Saving Technologies in Galapagos Agriculture: A Step towards Sustainability.
Journal:?Horticulturae
Date:?May, 2023
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Ecologists are using video data to study animal behavior, and stereo videos can provide 3D information. However, there are no existing designs for collecting high-resolution underwater 3D stereo data for extended periods.?Inti Keith, and other researchers, present a cost-effective, open-source underwater stereo camera rig that can record aquatic species in high resolution and 3D over multiple days. They provide design guides, calibration instructions, and code for tracking animals and inferring their size, posture, and behavior. This camera rig will help gather ecological and behavioral data to monitor and understand the effects of environmental pressures on ecosystems.
Publication:?A low-cost, long-running, open-source stereo camera for tracking aquatic species and their behaviours.
Journal:?Methods in Ecology and Evolution
Date:?June, 2023
Find out how else you can make an impact in Galapagos:?
Images courtesy of?Agustin Gutierrez/CDF, Carlos Espinosa/CDF, Rashid Cruz/CDF, Juan Manuel García/CDF,?Joshua Vela, ?Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution | Videos by Andrés Cruz, Joshua Vela, Carlos Espinosa/CDF, Rashid Cruz/CDF
Marine Science Advisor Galapagos Education & Research Alliance University of Pennsylvania
1 年Beautiful image!