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How did the Galapagos Islands, a region that looks like an okay area to inhabit, have so many unique ecological habitats?
(Photo : Photo by Amy Perez on Unsplash)
Galapagos Islands, Ecuador
The Galapagos is an eastern pacific archipelago globally recognized for being such an iconic biological hotspot. It is home to dozens, if not hundreds, of unique endemic species, making it one of UNESCO s (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization) heavily protected heritage sites and marine biological reserves.
It is the area s affluent ecological state that inspired Charles Darwin to develop his theory of evolution. When the theorist was hitting a low in his life, his journey to the Galapagos sparked an ember in him to study the nature of life.
Credit: Alexander Forryan
New research has unlocked the mystery of how the Galápagos Islands, a rocky, volcanic outcrop, with only modest rainfall and vegetation, is able to sustain its unique wildlife habitats.
The Galápagos archipelago, rising from the eastern equatorial Pacific Ocean some 900 kilometres off the South American mainland, is an iconic and globally significant biological hotspot. The islands are renowned for their unique wealth of endemic species, which inspired Charles Darwin s theory of evolution and today underpins one of the largest UNESCO World Heritage Sites and Marine Reserves on Earth.
Scientists have known for decades that the regional ecosystem is sustained by upwelling of cool, nutrient-rich deep waters, which fuel the growth of the phytoplankton upon which the entire ecosystem thrives.
Image: Alexander Forryan
New research has unlocked the mystery of how the Galápagos Islands, a rocky, volcanic outcrop, with only modest rainfall and vegetation, is able to sustain its unique wildlife habitats.
The Galápagos archipelago, rising from the eastern equatorial Pacific Ocean some 900 kilometres off the South American mainland, is an iconic and globally significant biological hotspot. The islands are renowned for their unique wealth of endemic species, which inspired Charles Darwin’s theory of evolution and today underpins one of the largest UNESCO World Heritage Sites and Marine Reserves on Earth.
Scientists have known for decades that the regional ecosystem is sustained by upwelling of cool, nutrient-rich deep waters, which fuel the growth of the phytoplankton upon which the entire ecosystem thrives.
By Kelly Montoya
12-21-2020
The Hemispheric University Consortium is connecting universities and students for critical conversations focused on solving some of the world’s most pressing problems, such as climate change.
Imagine a classroom where students from different institutions in Miami, Mexico, Costa Rica, and Brazil come together through a virtual platform to learn about a specific issue, such as climate change or access to health care. A place where students with different backgrounds and cultures can work together to analyze the complexity of these topics on a local and global level, have in-depth discussions about the differences in their respective countries, and then define actionable steps that lead to bettering their communities and changing the world.