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.
From July 30 to August 21, a scientific expedition was carried out aboard the research vessel R/V Marcus Langseth in the Galápagos Marine Reserve (GMR), led by researchers Adrian Marchetti and Harvey Seim of UNC and the GSC.
Scientists Study the Impact of Ocean Processes on Marine Biodiversity in the Galápagos Read More »
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.
The Galápagos Islands host a unique biodiversity but face increasing threats from emerging diseases. Among them, tick-borne pathogens such as Anaplasma spp. are of concern due to their potential impact on both domestic animals and wildlife. Understanding their presence and transmission dynamics is essential for conservation and public health.
Phytoplankton form the foundation of marine food webs, and their diversity strongly influences ocean ecosystem health. In the Galápagos Islands, ocean currents and climate variability linked to the El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) shape these communities, driving changes in productivity and connectivity.
Maritime transport is essential for tourism in the Galápagos Islands, but it also represents a significant source of pollution.This study explores tourists’ willingness to pay for cleaner propulsion technologies, electric and hybrid, as alternatives to internal combustion engines, aiming to promote more sustainable tourism in this fragile ecosystem.
Once again, Puerto Baquerizo Moreno served as the annual meeting point for science during the VII Galápagos Research and Conservation Symposium, held on Monday, July 14, and Tuesday, July 15 at the Charles Darwin Convention Center.
A new study conducted in the Galápagos Marine Reserve analyzed the diets of two pelagic species: the swordfish (Xiphias gladius) and the dolphinfish (Coryphaena hippurus). The aim was to understand how these populations, which share the same ecosystem, manage to coexist without directly competing for food.
Un nuevo estudio realizado en la Reserva Marina de Galápagos analizó la dieta de dos especies pelágicas: el pez espada (Xiphias gladius) y el dorado (Coryphaena hippurus). El objetivo fue entender cómo estas poblaciones, que habitan el mismo ecosistema, logran coexistir sin competir directamente por alimento.
Análisis de las estrategias tróficas de dos especies pelágicas en Galápagos Read More »
El equipo del Proyecto del Tiburón Ballena de Galápagos, en colaboración con la Dirección del Parque Nacional Galápagos (DPNG) y el Galapagos Science Center de la Universidad San Francisco de Quito (GSC-USFQ), ha retornado recientemente de una expedición de 15 días al Arco de Darwin, en el lejano norte del archipiélago.
Durante la expedición, el equipo logró identificar 12 tiburones ballena distintos y marcar a 7 de ellos con dispositivos satelitales SPLASH, colocados con pinzas en la aleta.
Nuevo hito en el estudio del tiburón ballena en Galápagos Read More »
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!