The Panama and Peru Currents flow into the Galapagos which cause high nutrient intake and high biodiversity. There are penguins at the Galapagos, and they have adapted to the the conditions there. There are a species of birds where the males have a red belly/balloon that attracts females. I'm also finding out that there are raptors on the Galapagos and that they hunt rodents. Never thought about sharks at the Galapagos, you normally hear about the tortoises, iguanas, and finches, but learning about the sea life is refreshing. Continentalization of the Galapagos is interesting - which can lead to invasive species, I can see rodents and plant seeds traveling. Sad to hear about the spread of DDT, and its legacy.
Submarine Morphology
Due to the eastern movement of the Nazca plate, the western islands of the archipelago are the youngest. A previous study identified five unique geomorphologies: submarine rift zones, large deep-water lava fields, shallow steep-sloped submarine flanks, mass-wasting and erosional deposits, and submarine terraces. This study managed to identify small-scale volcanic cones. These cones can be separated into 4 categories: pointed cones, cones with deep craters, flat-topped cones, and vents. There are deep-water lava fields found west and northwest of the archipelago, which makes sense since that is where the island formation happens. The Galapagos Islands are only about 10% as volcanically active as the Hawaiian Islands. The reading was, in my opinion, difficult to peruse through. Some key take-ways: there is still some volcanic activity and because of that is it possible for a new island to eventually form, albeit slowly.
Feral Goat Eradication
Invasive herbivore species have caused and are still causing destruction to island ecosystems via overgrazing, which leads to extinctions and habitat destruction. TIL about tortoise oil. The donkeys were originally used to haul tortoise oil around. The donkeys are overgrazing plant species, like Opuntia species on Alcedo and Santiago. Additionally, they trample the nests of tortoise and land iguana, while also potentially out-competing them for food. However, wouldn't this just support Darwin's claim of the survival of the fittest? Donkeys and other nuisance pests were hunted zealously during the '70s to the early 2000s. eradication campaigns utilized both ground and air hunters, using a variety of firearms. On Alcedo, over 1500 donkeys were removes, with a majority being removed via ground hunters. Scientists believe that plant species that were overgrazed to extinction may appear after a couple of decades, due to seedbanks. I quite enjoyed the reading - it's always fun to read about destruction. However, I still think a small plot of land should have been reserved for some donkeys for ecological observations - after all these are the islands that Darwin hypothesized about evolution and the survival of the fittest.
Population Growth & Tourism
Since 1991, there has been a 9% increase in visitation and 14% increase in industry revenues to the Galapagos, yet the fees paid by visitors and companies have not increased - oh boy, capitalism at it's finest. This just means that somewhere (probably the locals) are paying for it, either literally or environmentally. There has been a 6.4% increase in population in the local area to service and assist the tourism to the islands. But can we really be mad at the local people for wanting aa better life, and just following the money? We also directly and indirectly cause environmental damages due to jobs or for lifestyle - living in the suburbs because it's pretty and calm, but having to drive miles to get to work, not only did you destroy local land but not you're releasing greenhouse gases. Apparently, there has been a decline in satisfaction of the Galapagos over the years, in the next reflection I make mention of the inverse relationship of popularity and beauty of a natural place - the more popular a place becomes, the less beautiful it also becomes.
Since I'm a nerd, I find the hotel data quite interesting, on average there is ~61:38 ratio of foreigners and locals that stay at island hotels, yet average stay time is more favored towards locals. However, the reading goes into detail about the difficulty in obtaining this data, and so the numbers could be fudged. In one section they mention the estimated effects of an injection of $1,000 into the local island economy by sources, I find it interesting that foreigners' $1,000 only actually becomes $218, yet local domestic peoples' would become $429. The reading discusses how locals spend a decent portion of their money directly in or around the islands, yet foreigners are buying plane tickets and other such stuff.
There is no public sewage system, so drinking water and nearby bodies of water run the risk of being contaminated. I find it interesting that hotels are not only subject to less control than vessels, but they are also being more overcapitalized, even though the authors' data shows that vessels contribute more than 60% to the Galapagos' economy.
Sustainable Ecotourism
More and more people are becoming environmentally ethical, and believe more in conservation. We see a large push for natural fibers in clothing, organically grown foods, and pushes in legislation for alternative sources of energy. Supposedly, in 1990, 76% of Americans view themselves as environmentalists, although 1) how many are saying that so that they don't sound bad, and 2) will they say the same thing if it costs them money and/or time? There is clearly a business to be made in nature tourism, since in 1992, it had generated $12 billion, I can only wonder what that is like 18 years after (although, Covid probably put a little dent in that). People are now traveling to exotic places not to relax, but to also learn about and help the local ecosystems. There are even environmental pressures on tour providers, and hotels - which have resulted in more recycling and a reduction in CFC usage. The reading states that ecotourism benefits the local economy, but the cynic in wonders how much the local people actually see/use foreign money and how much lines the pockets of the powerful. Direct impacts include: damage in geological features (trails), potential bird scaring , and floating trash that have killed animal species. Indigenous culture has been effected, the land and sea that once used has become supplying routes and market stands. Indirect impacts include: invasive species, human population growth, and extraction of materials.
One of my big things is transparency, if we knew where every dollar went, I believe people would be more willing to contribute to conservational and environmental efforts. Additionally, as I have learned, as nature becomes more popular, it also becomes less beautiful. People are selfish, "There's no trashcan nearby, so I'll just drop this plastic bottle, rather than carry it," or even worse "Oh, that person just threw their trash on the ground, so that means I can as well." There should be stricter penalties associated with environmental damage as to prevent the un-beautification of the natural world.
Evolution in the Galapagos
At the ripe age of 22, Charles Darwin started his voyages that eventually led to his theory of evolution. Even today, people are studying the islands! You learn about island diversity in a multitude of classes, but actually seeing the differentiation in animals is quite remarkable, like the mockingbirds, or the plant species. It is interesting to learning that the Darwin, at first, didn't actually care much about the finches (at least not as much as the textbooks say). It is also interesting that on some islands you can actually see evolution happening.
Finch Evolution
I had known about the ground finches, as well as the woodpecker and the insect finches, but not the cactus flowers finch (is it just a giant bee with feathers?). I still find it incredibly interesting that just one species of ancestral finch became 13. i enjoyed their experiment with the loudspeaker and stuffed birds, showing that the finches aren't the same species with different traits, but are actually different species. I find it quite funny how the researchers know 5960's sex life. Just like what I said in the previous reflection, seeing evolution/survival of the fittest is so interesting - seeing how beak sizes change due to environmental changes.
The Origin of Birds
Darwin's hypothesis of evolution had a gap - it was missing intermediates, which archaeopteryx was one of the first to be discovered. It had the feathers of a bird, yet the teeth, claws, and tail of reptiles. Pterosaur and archaeopteryx show convergent evolution - they both developed flight independent of one another. Pterosaur had four digits and used a membrane, while archaeopteryx had three digits and used feathers. There were misconceptions about dinosaurs: cold-blooded, slow, and huge. It was because of these misconceptions that people had a difficult time accepting that birds ands reptiles are related. One of the major finds that showed the connection between reptiles and birds were the wishbones of dinosaurs. Additionally, dinosaurs and birds have an S-shaped neck. Sinosauropteryx was one of the first fossils that showed primitive feathers, rather than scales - other fossil discoveries continued to pile on the evidence. It is interesting to find out that feathers predate flight, which makes sense, and that flight is a type of co-option - a modification of an existing feature to become something new.