septiembre 1, 2025 – Galapagos Science Center

Científicos estudian el impacto de los procesos oceánicos en la biodiversidad marina de Galápagos

Del 30 de julio al 21 de agosto se desarrolló una expedición científica a bordo del buque de investigación R/V Marcus Langseth en la Reserva Marina de Galápagos (RMG), liderada por los investigadores Adrian Marchetti y Harvey Seim de la University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (UNC-CH) y el GSC.

Primer reporte de Anaplasma phagocytophilum en Galápagos: alta prevalencia en perros y evidencia circunstancial del papel de Rhipicephalus linnaei como vector

Las islas Galápagos albergan una biodiversidad única, pero también enfrentan amenazas relacionadas con enfermedades emergentes. Entre ellas, las transmitidas por garrapatas representan un riesgo tanto para la fauna local como para los animales domésticos. Dentro de este contexto, las bacterias del género Anaplasma son de especial interés por su capacidad de afectar la salud de los perros y su posible impacto en la fauna silvestre.

Determinantes de la diversidad y conectividad del fitoplancton marino en el Archipiélago de Galápagos a lo largo de un ciclo de El Niño (ENSO)

El fitoplancton es la base de la red alimenticia marina y su diversidad influye en la salud de los ecosistemas oceánicos. En Galápagos, las corrientes marinas y la variabilidad climática asociada a El Niño-Oscilación del Sur (ENSO) modifican estas comunidades, generando cambios en su productividad y conectividad.

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.

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!