Galapagos Island Case Essay

IntroductionGeographical The geographical mapping of Galapagos Island is able to patronage both aquatic life and world-wide life ascribable to its unseemly favorable climatic conditions. This is because this island lies in the Pacific Ocean about 999 km from the South Ameri flock coast and straddling the Equator. Due to this smart geographical condition, in that location is great biodiversity of both flora and fauna.Galapagos Island is one of 13 islands that is currently inhabited, with a total population of 30,000 people. According to the latest survey, the Galapagos Marine Reserve occupies round 139,000 squ be kilometers. This large subjective habitat dope yield Brobdingnagian mass of living creatures if protection measures atomic number 18 put in fructify to safe the peril species. The island was recognized as world heritage place collect to abundant living things that atomic number 18 not easily imbed elsewhere, but only exist in this prestigious island.Galapag os Island Biodiversity This island is blessed with abundant biodiversity, which enables it to vex its inbred heritage. Galapagos has specific niche to some(prenominal) unique, endemic animals. Naturally, close to of these animals argon fearless due to lack of natural enemies. This is a public case for some of oceanic life.The only enemy is man due to his husbandry activities and his radical technologies concerning marine science, fishing and tourism. For example, the giant tortoise has gradually evolved into some(prenominal)(prenominal)(prenominal) distinct underframes on the different islands of the archipelago. The reason being, these tortoise have no natural predators except man during the 17th and 18th centuries when buccaneers and pi piges apply the islands as a staging post. This is the only time when these tortoises were being used as delicacies.The Galapagos Island has several species of reptiles. They include, the marine iguana, which is a herbivore that grazes on seaweed, land iguanas, lizards, geckos, lava and snakes. Some of the primordial world-wide mammals include rats that prefer grassy areas or wheat and rice grove and 2 species of bat. an different(prenominal) common creatures are finches. There are several species of finches. Some are small brownish, soil like finches that are neutered to a range of different sustenances. These are known as Darwins finches.The name was coined after the father of evolution sir Charles Darwin because they have been of the essence(predicate) to scientists act to study how evolution occurs this is because of different beak types. They include the tool-using woodpecker finch. former(a) endemic terrestrial tinkers dams include hawk, flycatcher, rail and other species of mocking birds. solid these birds have specific characters that feature in them and are the only birds undercoat in Galapagos. Among the endemic aquatic birds are a flightless cormorant, two species of gull, and one penguin s pecies that live in tropical waters. Going on, Sea lions and skin seals occur along the coasts, while dolphins, whales and sea turtles are also common. new(prenominal) species of fish are found along the seashores. Several species of insects, cryoptera, spiders, mites, slugs, land snails, seashells, starfishes and urchins, crabs, and many other smaller invertebrates occur. Beside different kinds of animals, the island supports different types of fauna. The establishs of Galapagos are equally engrossing and attractive. In the highlands, there occur many species of endemic Scalesia tree that is characterized by having daisies, as well as tree ferns, bromeliads and orchids. Along the coasts are mangrove forest and wide prickly pear and candelabra cacti. The Brachycereus cacti are altered to less fertile lava flows. The lava flow is a remnant of volcanic activities that erupted in the past .Note that Galapagos Island is a product of those volcanic activities. The shores can support many vivid morning glories and mats of bright red sesuvium. Galapagos also has its precise own, endemic species of cotton, tomato, pepper, guava and passionflower that are not exotic. Kinds of plants, especially those belong to the daisy phylum, have gradually evolved on the different niche in this island into hearty arrays of endemic species. This again provides bio-conservationist with classic examples of adaptive speciation.Biodiversity threats. Currently, the Galapagos Islands are among the best terra firma parks with tropical archipelago in the world. Despite being rich in its pristine nature, it faces challenges and extinction threats to the only unique type of biodiversity in the island. genuinely foreign species sneaked in by naughty ship workers, pirates and other evil-minded foreigners are some of gentle intrusions that adversely pose a study threat to native terrestrial biodiversity.Another factor is spilling of oils in the brine and during mosquitos control. Seve ral myriad of invasive plants and animals vectored in by mans day to days operations, inhabit the island adding to a greater extent competition in the food chain. . Some of these foreign plants include food crops like quinine, guava and blackberry. In the operation process, harmful weeds and parasitic plants are introduced in new territories of this Island. Animals in this category of invasive species include both domesticated and wild, for example, goats, Netherlands pigs, Asiatic dogs, cats, rats and fire ants. Some of introduced species in Galapagos Island include rodents like the black rat, Norwegian rat and house hold mouse. These rodents are disastrous as they incline on the native wildlife of the islands, including plants, seeds, birds eggs and chicks, reptiles eggs and young ones.This way the rodents threaten the fragile ecosystem of the islands and are answerable for extinctions on islands biodiversity worldwide. The rodents also pose a great risk to human health by spre ading zoonotic infections.1 Beside that, rodents are agricultural and star sign pests. They are vectors to fleas, worms and other protozoan. It is known that some nematodes that affect rats can assail other small animals and plants through evolution. 2 Some species, such as the mangrove habitat birds like finch species such as C. heliobates, the Galapagos petrel and the flightless cormorant are jeopardise somehow due to reduced populations caused by fluctuating productive system. Much tourism during breeding seasons increases animal stress and disturbance. This interferes with reproductive systems. Other endemic birds in the island are the tree finches such as Certhidea olivacea and Camarhynchus psittacula. The Galapagos birds are already under threat from invasive rodents. The interference from both natural effects and human activities is a threat to Galapagos penguin and other aquatic bird species From a case study, it was observed that, 22 to 23.5 percent of the endemic plant species and 48.9 to 51 percent of the vertebrate species are considered endangered. Some of these problems have existed for more than a century due to negligence and ignorance by the government and other environmentalists. Global warming which is a feature of human adverse defilement to the environment has endangered marine life. Snow and ice melting is a threat to some of marine creatures.Another threat to the biodiversity is that, Galapagos is undergoing an immense speech rhythm of economic and population growth that is accelerated by orthogonal markets and competition. away pressures are accompanied by increased threats to native biodiversity that drag be hide conservation efforts. Some of these threats as stated are the stretch of invasive species, over-harvesting of marine resources, for example, al almost more than 90 million sharks are killed a year, mainly for their fins.They are fetched from the sea purposely for their fins and not the flesh. This waste altitude can wipe sharks in the near future if pouching forget not stop. When sharks cause wiped, tourism industry would be greatly change making the economy of Galapagos to dwindle. Lastly, more frequent pollution events like agribusiness activities interfere with biota. Agricultural cultivation involves use of several chemicals that interfere with the marine life. This mostly occurs when these chemicals find their way into the sea either by drainpipe or through silting. Indirectly, enormous demand growths on the biodiversity of the islands are due to the international tourism industry and aquatic or marine resources. These are some of global factors driving business growth in Galapagos. This huge developments act as catalysts for the growth of the Galapagos human population.This has consequently, resulted to the use ups for greater topical anaesthetic access to basic natural resources and public services to catch up with the increasing human population and competition this creates new so cial and governmental stresses in the islands. Poor distribution of resources and income from the protected areas discourages self-motive for conservation. Internal conflicts due to external market impact do not address conservation of biodiversity. leave out of awareness on importance of conservation biology in the Island, and non-instrumental professionals fit to failures to re-address the issue of endangering the species.Conservation methods and the implys to defend the biodiversity. After describing most of endangered species in this island, it is good to focus on and advocate scientific Conservation methods of both flora and fauna. Preservation of the endangered species and the environment is a complex process that requires strong machinery force. Therefore, without government and non-government back-up, this project cannot succeed. Proper programs take on to be set up to outsource services and other strategical means, including funding to enhance successive conservatio n.In Galapagos Island, several foundations currently military service to fund this project. Nevertheless, the funding is not enough to meet all the infallible measures. For example, the Galapagos Conservation project, Charles Darwin Foundation, The Galapagos Conservatory etc cannot meet these challenges without aid from donor specie. This is because to educate the whole nation about the importance of conservation, and other necessary measures is a monolithic issue that requires donors aid.Actually, you should propose on external exhibitions on the needs to conserve the biodiversity, another suggestion is experienced experts need to be produced, proper fishing items that cannot fish on small or girlish fishes are supposed to be bought, some motor boats should be open to control and survey fishing mechanism of both legitimate and love child fishermen. Propose on preservative fringes and other necessary items bearing in mind that some items are expensive for the topical anaest hetic anaesthetic people. The government should accomplish measures to curtail behaviors that can lead to eradication of endangered species. These measures should include autocratic pouching, smuggling, pirating and illegal immigration. In this case, Patrolling water navy and vigilante groups should be brought up in order to mitigate fishing of sharks.The use of this system for monitor fishing vessels would enhance trapping the vessels that carry out these highly destructive fishing practices and thus provide evince to the port police regime so that the illegal fishing activities may be stopped. This process can only succeed with the serve of local anglers of the islands and our long efforts to promote sustainable fishing practices, to limit the use of destructive fishing techniques. Boundaries need to be restricted and observed to avoid importation of foreign organisms. This should be a foundation to remove corrupt inhabitants off the islands. People should be better through civic education that incorporates biological and social sciences to create awareness on conservation biology. Farming methods that protect the environment should be utilise e.g. restrict any use of harmful farming methods.Institution of high learning should be set up to offer degree courses on conservation biology. This is because local young Ecuadorian conservationists do not have the necessary qualifications to move forward in their careers. Galapagos scientists need to be sceptred with doctors of philosophy to rise to the positions of future responsibility. Surprisingly, the Charles Darwin Foundation comprises foreign scientists such as American or European as the most learned barons who cannot apply their service fully.The government through its own funding or by donors fund should focus on establishing environmental exhibition and communication activities. This is a valid proposal to create awareness and to inspire stewardship on Island farming and cultural behaviors that can enhance conservation. Some of the undertakings that the government should do is protecting the national parks and resorts. Furthermore, conservationist and other well-wishers have supported by saving giant tortoise from extinction. They should focus on methods of interval counting of the endangered species and reduction of their predators. The national Park Service and the Ecuadorian government are reforming a bit of clauses that safeguard wildlife. Restrictions are imposed against the residents of the islands in the form of pouching restrictions. This include, restrict fishing within certain miles of the shores and out of the swimming patterns of the endangered species in the islands.It is also illegal on the island to hunt any terrestrial animals and the offence is jail term and revocation of the citizenship on the island. These are among the laborious measures that ministry of wild life in conjunction with the environmentalist are courtly to conserve the endangered species. You should pressurize on review of important sections in the country constitution that safeguard the wild life. Some nuisance pests need to be eradicated for example, rats, parasitic weeds and plants, since some fish such as sharks suffer from animal stress due to tourism visitors.These areas have been classified ad as non-go zones, which mean that the number of motor boats and visitors in the water can be regulated. However, many areas have still to be restricted. People should be sensitized on zonotic infections caused by some of these foreign organisms. Funding to help identification of breeding zones for sharks and the monitoring of population increase in coastal areas are important areas of research that can aid in conservation. fostering and nestling parameters, which are essential for shark conservation, are not up to now understood. In case of preserving sharks that attract a lot of tourism, conservation funds would assist in monitoring and identifying sharks movements and breeding patterns. Eradication of animals and plants, which pose a threat to the existing of the eco system, is a noble idea that is facilitated by the internal Park service. Conclusion. Conservation biology in the Galapagos is important because the work through with(p) by the Galapagos National Park to protect the biodiversity of the Galapagos Islands is unique. What to protect and the methods to be used depend on scientific knowledge and government back up. This go forth include careful study, research and interpretation of existing data on wildlife. The funding requested will be required to help local residents to become a leader of their own future. Without the necessary research, awareness, funds and loyalty provided by the Galapagos Conservation Trust, this valuable habitat and its unique wildlife will become a history. The fact is extinction would be due to human intrusion. This adversely leads to loss of biodiversity. The consequences are loss of marine life and disappe arance of native terrestrial animals and plants. Many species of wildlife will be extinct, species that have been a crucial point in the discovery of natural selection. The advancement of these studies that is so important to science will be lost.There are many species in Galapagos Islands that are not analyzed. The destruction of the sensitive ecosystem could destroy these species forever. Apparently, tourism sector would be greatly affected this Island biodiversity becomes extinct. Tourism is growing at an enormous rate of 4% per year and is expected to continue at this rate. The need for support functions in the industry continues to provide significant job opportunities for the local residents. Indirectly, the national economy would be greatly affected hence funds fluctuation and instability. To avoid this disastrous situation, conservation biology should be intercommunicate from all perspective.ReferenceSharon L. Spray, Karen Leah (2003) Revelation of species Loss of Biodiv ersity Pg 34, Row man and Littlefield paperThe islands biodiversity, retrieved on thirty-first August 2007, functional at www.tiscali.co.ukThe Galapagos Islands, retrieved on 31st August 2007, available at www.darwinfoundation.org/Galapagos biodiversity vision, retrieved on 31st August 2007, available at www.worldwildlife.org/Unique biodiversity of the islands, retrieved on 31st August 2007, available at www.gct.orgGalapagos conservation, available at www.wam.umd.eduEnvironmental solutions, available at www.environment31 Tick- and flea-borne rickettsial uphill zoonoses File Format PDF/Adobe Acrobat View as HTMLThe rat flea, Xenop-. sylla cheopis, is the main vector of murine Not well characterized Molecular evidence of infection www.vetres.org/articles/vetres/pdf/2005/03/v4057.2 zole, levamisole) of helminths coupled with improved man- effect on nematode. Four dilutions of severally plant extract (0.52.0 mg/mL) available at www.liebertonline.com/doi/pdf/10.1089/acm.2006.123