
BIODIVERSITY
Many of the plant and animal species on the Galapagos are not found anywhere else on earth, including 80% of the land birds, 97% of the reptiles and land mammals, and more than 30% of the plants are endemic. With such a rich biodiversity, many species have yet to be discovered in the Galapagos. However, many species are also being threatened with extinction due to human activities or natural hazards, putting this special biodiversity at risk.
Our projects include topics in:
Endemism, Evolution, Biobanking, Micro and Molecular Biology, Invasive Species.
Let’s meet the researchers and their impactful projects:
ALAN JONES
- Genomic study of native and endemic pastures of the Galapagos Islands.
ANTONIO LEÓN – REYES
- Molecular characterization of microorganisms associated to the invasive plant Rubus niveus of the Galapagos Islands.
- Characterization of the soil microbiome of the Galapagos Islands.
CARLOS VALLE
- Ecology and current situation of the Galapagos seabird community: study of the spatio-temporal variation of the diet, trophic relationships, distribution and the status of their populations.
- Natural and sexual selection in the characteristics of color and social behavior of the lava lizard.
DIANA PAZMIÑO & JAIME CHAVEZ
- Galapagos genetic barcode, genetic scanning for the study of evolution.
DIEGO CISNEROS
- Snakes and geckos of San Cristobal and Isabela, Galapagos Islands.
- Land birds of San Cristóbal Island, Galapagos: Natural history, distribution and population situation.
- Community of weaving spiders of orbicular fabrics (Araneidae) and ladybird beetles (Coccinellidae) on San Cristobal Island, Galapagos
HUGO VALDEBENITO
- Nocturnal pollination dynamics in two congeneric species of Verbenaceae: Lantana camara (supirrosa) and Lantana peduncularis (Galapagos Lantana) on San Cristobal and Santa Cruz Islands, Galapagos, Ecuador.
Structure and composition of the communities of Psidium guajava and Psidium galapageium in the Santa Cruz and Isabela Islands.
JAIME CHAVES
- Anthropogenic impacts on the evolutionary radiation of Darwin’s finches.
- Origin and phylogeography of native and introduced species in the Galapagos Islands: evolutionary synthesis of less studied species.
LEO ZURITA
Detailed delimitation of the nesting area of the Galapagos petrel, Pterodroma phaeopygia, using Geographic Information Systems techniques on San Cristobal Island.
TODD VISION
- Hybridization between endemic and invasive plants of the Galapagos Islands.
- Exploring the frequency and consequences of hybridization between endemic and invasive plant species in the Galapagos islands.
JUAN MANUEL GUAYASAMÍN
Photography of reptiles.
MARJORIE RIOFRÍO
Trophic ecology, population dynamics and impact assessment of introduced small terrestrial mammals in priority conservation areas on San Cristobal Island, Galapagos.
JAIME ORTIZ
- Invisible invaders: invasion patterns of non-native earthworms, their interaction with endemic fauna and other introduced soil invertebrates, and their effects on microbial symbionts in the Galapagos Islands.
JOHANNA CASTAÑEDA
- Searching endemic rodent species considered extinct from Santa Cruz, Santiago, and San Cristóbal and conservation status of the endemic mouse of Santiago.
LEONIE MOYLE
- Demographic, ecological analysis and hybridization threats of two Solanum species endemic to the Galapagos Islands.
MARIA DE LOURDES TORRES
- Phylogeography and biogeographic history of guayabillo, a Galapagos endemic plant.
PIETER VANT HOF
- Deciphering the taxonomic and functional diversity of the root microbiome of endemic and invasive Galapagos tomato populations.
- Alien species in the Galápagos: quantifying environmental and socio-economic impacts and assessing stakeholder perceptions.
- Study of the microbiome associated with species of the genus Scalesia at the Galapagos.
TODD VISION
- Hybridization between endemic and invasive plants of the Galapagos Islands.
- DNA sequencing of Galapagos seaweeds: A critical need to understand the marine biota.
CORBIN JONES
- Grass Genomes X Environments: A Hypothesis/Discovery-based Approach Connecting Genome with the Phenome of Plant Habit and Behavior in Natural Settings.
GONZALO RIVAS
Real-time mapping and construction of future predictive models of the distribution of native and introduced species in Galapagos through the use of low-cost unmanned ships.
PAOLA CARRIÓN
Genetic study of feral cat diet in San Cristóbal, Galapagos.
HUGO VALDEBENITO
Evaluation of the genetic diversity of the endemic genus Darwinothamus harling (asteracea) in Galapagos: evolutionary implications and its usefulness to define conservation strategies.
Nocturnal pollination dynamics in two congeneric species of Verbenaceae: Lantana camara (supirrosa) and Lantana peduncularis (Galapagos Lantana) on San Cristobal and Santa Cruz Islands, Galapagos, Ecuador.