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Category: Publications

Shipping poses significant threat to the endangered whale shark

Marine biologists from the Marine Biological Association (MBA) and the University of Southampton have led ground-breaking research which indicates that lethal collisions of whale sharks with large ships are vastly underestimated, and could be the reason why populations are falling.

Emergent research and priorities for shark and ray conservation

During the last 4 decades there has been a growing concern about the conservation status of elasmobranchs (sharks and rays). Read the following article and find out about the research carried out by several authors, including Diana Pazmiño, professor at USFQ Galapagos and researcher at the #GSC.

Marine barriers regulate the genetic exchange of sharks and rays

Have you ever heard of elasmobranchs? Well, they are sharks and rays that are found distributed in the seas around the world. Elasmobranchs live in different habitats, from tropical reefs to deep polar waters, which makes them very interesting species for scientific research.

The time is now to tackle climate change

Historically, the Galapagos Islands have been used for studies in a variety offields. However, when we talk about climate change and its repercussions on ecosystems, population, and infrastructure of the islands, little is known. This research confirms that knowing the different trends of climate change is of utmost importance.

Declines and recovery in endangered Galapagos pinnipeds during the El Niño Event

Our researchers Diego Páez- Rosas and Majorie Riofrío with Adrian Marchetti and Harvey Seim researchers from UNC-Chapel Hill, and Eduardo Espinosa and Jorge Torres from the Galapagos National Park Directorate, presented their work called “Declines and recovery in endangered Galapagos pinnipeds during the El Niño Event”

Microbiological studies detect Mycoplasma in Galapagos sea lions

A few days ago Galapagos Science Center (GSC) researchers Soledad Sarzosa and Diego Páez-Rosas, together with several renowned researchers, published their work called “Appearance of mycoplasmas in Galapagos sea lions (Zalophus wollebaeki) and its association with other respiratory pathogens.”

Darwin and Wolf, The home of the Vampire Finches

Jaime Chaves, professor at the Universidad San Francisco de Quito and a researcher at the Galapagos Science Center (GSC), has been studying finches in the Galapagos Islands for several years. A few days ago, along with Kiyoko Gotanda and Daniel Baldassarre, he published the article titled, “Vampire finches: how Galapagos birds evolved to drink blood” in the digital magazine, The Conversation.

In 2022, the Galapagos Science Center (GSC) and the broader UNC & USFQ Galapagos Initiative will celebrate its 10th Anniversary. We are proud to announce the World Summit on Island Sustainability scheduled to be held on June 26–30, 2022 at the Galapagos Science Center and the Community Convention Center on San Cristobal Island.

The content of the World Summit will be distributed globally through social media and results documented through papers published in a book written as part of the Galapagos Book Series by Springer Nature and edited by Steve Walsh (UNC) & Carlos Mena (USFQ) as well as Jill Stewart (UNC) and Juan Pablo Muñoz (GSC/USC). The book will be inclusive and accessible by the broader island community including scientists, managers, residents, tourists, and government and non-government organizations.

While the most obvious goal of organizing the World Summit on Island Sustainability is to celebrate the 10th Anniversary of the GSC and the UNC-USFQ Galapagos Initiative, other goals will be addressed through special opportunities created as part of our operational planning of the World Summit.

For instance, we seek to elevate and highlight the Galapagos in the island conservation discourse, seeking to interact with other island networks in more obvious and conspicuous ways to benefit the Galapagos Islands, the UNC-USFQ Galapagos Initiative, and the world. We will seize the opportunity to further develop the I2N2 – International Islands Network-of-Networks. Further, we wish to highlight and emphasize multiple visions of a sustainable future for the Galapagos Islands and we cannot do this alone. Therefore, engaging the Ecuadorian Ministry of Environment, the Ministry of Tourism, the Government Council of Galapagos, the Galapagos National Park, and local Galapagos authorities, including government and non-government organizations and local citizen groups, is imperative.

The Galapagos Science Center on San Cristobal Island, Galapagos

Borrowing from Hawaii’s and Guam’s Green Growth Program and the Global Island Partnership, we wish to examine existing global programs that emphasize island sustainability and their incorporation into life, policies, and circumstances in the Galapagos Islands. We will also seek to enhance our connections with the institutional members of our International Galapagos Science Consortium and expand the Consortium through the recruitment of other member institutions. We will also work to benefit islands and their local communities by working with citizen groups as well as important NGOs who seek to improve the natural conditions in the Galapagos and diminish the impact of the human dimension on the future of Galapagos’ ecosystems.

Lastly, we will use the World Summit to benefit UNC & USFQ and our constituencies through a strong and vibrant communication plan about the World Summit, creating corporate relationships as sponsors, identifying funding goals through donors, and benefiting our study abroad program for student engagement in the Galapagos Islands. We plan to develop and issue a Galapagos Sustainability Communique after the World Summit that includes the vision and insights of all its participants for a sustainable Galapagos with applicability to global island settings.

We are eager to hear your perspective and have you join us at the World Summit on Island Sustainability!