Biomes: Islands & Biomes: Islands & EvolutionEvolution

THE GALAPAGOS THE GALAPAGOS ARCHIPELAGOARCHIPELAGO

A Collaborative ProjectA Collaborative Project

TABLE OF CONTENTSTABLE OF CONTENTS

IntroductionIntroduction Island Geography & Life FormsIsland Geography & Life Forms How & When Islands FormedHow & When Islands Formed Endemic Species:Endemic Species:

Galapagos PenguinGalapagos Penguin

Galapagos Giant TortoiseGalapagos Giant Tortoise

IntroductionIntroduction

The Galapagos Islands is an The Galapagos Islands is an “Archipelago”“Archipelago”

1574: Named “Galapago” meaning 1574: Named “Galapago” meaning “Saddle” for Giant Tortoise shell“Saddle” for Giant Tortoise shell

1500-1700: Famous Hideout for 1500-1700: Famous Hideout for PiratesPirates

1811-1844 Whaling Ships1811-1844 Whaling Ships 1835: Darwin’s Visit which led to his 1835: Darwin’s Visit which led to his

theory of evolutiontheory of evolution

Geography & Life FormsGeography & Life FormsBasic Geography Facts:Basic Geography Facts:

Archipelago of Volcanic Archipelago of Volcanic IslandsIslands

Located around the Located around the Equator in the Pacific Equator in the Pacific OceanOcean

600 miles West of 600 miles West of EcuadorEcuador

3,042 sq. miles of land3,042 sq. miles of land 13 Main Islands, 5 Minor 13 Main Islands, 5 Minor

& 107 “Rocks” & Inlets& 107 “Rocks” & Inlets

Noteworthy Native Animal SpeciesNoteworthy Native Animal Species

Galapagos Tortoise Waved AlbatrossGalapagos Tortoise Waved Albatross Land & Marine Iguanas Galapagos PenguinLand & Marine Iguanas Galapagos Penguin Flightless Cormorant Galapagos Hawk Flightless Cormorant Galapagos Hawk Blue-footed Booby Galapagos Sea LionBlue-footed Booby Galapagos Sea Lion

Beginnings of Endemic Life FormsBeginnings of Endemic Life Forms

SEEDS: by wind and water SEEDS: by wind and water drop in rock crevices and drop in rock crevices and germinate by humiditygerminate by humidity

MARINE LIFE: strong and MARINE LIFE: strong and cold ocean currents bring cold ocean currents bring sea lions, penguinssea lions, penguins

SEA BIRDS: fly to islandSEA BIRDS: fly to island TORTOISES & IGUANAS: TORTOISES & IGUANAS:

float on vegetation or tree float on vegetation or tree trunks propelled by currents trunks propelled by currents

Wind & Ocean Currents

Germinate SeedsMarine Life Reptiles

WeatherWeather

Humboldt Current brings cold water to the GalapagosHumboldt Current brings cold water to the Galapagos Many Microclimates; higher altitude… cooler & rainierMany Microclimates; higher altitude… cooler & rainier Two Seasons:Two Seasons: “ “Garua”Garua” (June-Nov): 72 degrees w/ cold winds, dense fogs, and (June-Nov): 72 degrees w/ cold winds, dense fogs, and drizzles (called Garuas in Spanish) drizzles (called Garuas in Spanish) Warm SeasonWarm Season (Dec-May) 77 degrees w/ sun and occasional heavy (Dec-May) 77 degrees w/ sun and occasional heavy rainsrains

How & When the Galapagos How & When the Galapagos Formed…Formed…

5 Million years ago the 5 Million years ago the first Islands emerged first Islands emerged from the ocean floorfrom the ocean floor

Layer upon layer of lava Layer upon layer of lava spilled from underwater spilled from underwater volcanoesvolcanoes

As this volcanic activity As this volcanic activity continues, new islands continues, new islands are formedare formed

The Galapagos are among the most The Galapagos are among the most active active volcanoesvolcanoes in the world… in the world…

This is La Cumbre volcano on Fernandina Island, April ‘09This is La Cumbre volcano on Fernandina Island, April ‘09

The Archipelago of Volcanic Islands The Archipelago of Volcanic Islands is located atop the Galapagos is located atop the Galapagos

“Hotspot”“Hotspot”

A “Hotspot” is a place where Earth’s crust is being A “Hotspot” is a place where Earth’s crust is being melted from below by a Mantle Plume, creating melted from below by a Mantle Plume, creating volcanoesvolcanoes

A Mantle Plume works like a lava lamp A Mantle Plume works like a lava lamp The “Hotspot” is 20 million years oldThe “Hotspot” is 20 million years old Located in the East Pacific OceanLocated in the East Pacific Ocean Responsible for the creation of Galapagos IslandsResponsible for the creation of Galapagos Islands 2 Tectonic Plates move over the “hotspot”2 Tectonic Plates move over the “hotspot” 4 major lava reservoirs feed the “hotspot”4 major lava reservoirs feed the “hotspot”

The Galapagos Islands were formed by lava flows from the The Galapagos Islands were formed by lava flows from the “Hotspot”…….The Islands on the East side (closer to “Hotspot”…….The Islands on the East side (closer to

“hotspot”) are older, while the islands toward the West are “hotspot”) are older, while the islands toward the West are younger.younger.

Rare species of plants & animals Rare species of plants & animals found nowhere else on earth inhabit found nowhere else on earth inhabit

the Galapagos Islandsthe Galapagos Islands

The Giant TortoiseThe Giant Tortoise

The Giant Tortoise Inspired Charles The Giant Tortoise Inspired Charles Darwin….Darwin….

First Tortoises floated to the Galapagos Islands on First Tortoises floated to the Galapagos Islands on logs or vegetationlogs or vegetation

Evolved over millions of years into 15 distinct Evolved over millions of years into 15 distinct subspecies living on different islandssubspecies living on different islands

Each island has Giant Tortoises with different shaped Each island has Giant Tortoises with different shaped shellsshells

Numbers decreased due to Whalers & Turtle huntersNumbers decreased due to Whalers & Turtle hunters To avoid extinction, biologists have placed many in To avoid extinction, biologists have placed many in

captivity to facilitate breedingcaptivity to facilitate breeding

Giant Tortoise facts:Giant Tortoise facts: Belongs to species “Geochelone Elephantopus:Belongs to species “Geochelone Elephantopus: Mature at age 20-25 yearsMature at age 20-25 years Grow up to 5 feet & weigh more than 500lbsGrow up to 5 feet & weigh more than 500lbs Lay only 2-16 eggs at a timeLay only 2-16 eggs at a time Eggs are buried for 4-8 monthsEggs are buried for 4-8 months

Adaptation Strategies of the Giant Adaptation Strategies of the Giant TortoiseTortoise

Evolved into different subspecies to adapt to Evolved into different subspecies to adapt to each island’s specific microclimate and each island’s specific microclimate and vegetationvegetation

As vegetarians, the Giant Tortoise has a varied As vegetarians, the Giant Tortoise has a varied diet of prickly pear cactus, fruit, bromeliads, diet of prickly pear cactus, fruit, bromeliads, water ferns, leaves & grasseswater ferns, leaves & grasses

Has a well developed sense of smellHas a well developed sense of smell Has a huge water storage capacity…can Has a huge water storage capacity…can

survive more than 1 year without food or watersurvive more than 1 year without food or water

The Galapagos PenguinThe Galapagos Penguin

The Penguins come to the The Penguins come to the Galapagos….Galapagos….

The cold Humboldt Current brought the The cold Humboldt Current brought the Penguins to the Galapagos from AntarcticaPenguins to the Galapagos from Antarctica

The Penguins depend on this cold, nutrient The Penguins depend on this cold, nutrient rich ocean currentrich ocean current

Congregate along rocky lava shores of Congregate along rocky lava shores of Isabela, Fernandina, Santiago & Bartolome Isabela, Fernandina, Santiago & Bartolome Islands…which are cooled by both the Islands…which are cooled by both the Humboldt and Cromwell currentsHumboldt and Cromwell currents

Galapagos Penguin facts:Galapagos Penguin facts:

Galapagos Penguins are the Galapagos Penguins are the smallest Penguins in the worldsmallest Penguins in the world

Penguins grow to be 20 inches tall, Penguins grow to be 20 inches tall, weigh 5 lbsweigh 5 lbs

Females are smallerFemales are smaller Cool off in cold water, swimming Cool off in cold water, swimming

slowly & gracefullyslowly & gracefully When searching for food, dive & When searching for food, dive &

swim fast using flippersswim fast using flippers Chicks stay w/ parents for 60 daysChicks stay w/ parents for 60 days

Threats …Threats …

1987 El Nino Current: This current killed off 1987 El Nino Current: This current killed off most of the small shore fish such as sardinesmost of the small shore fish such as sardines

As a result, 75% of the Penguins died due to As a result, 75% of the Penguins died due to lack of foodlack of food

Less than 1,000 pairs remainLess than 1,000 pairs remain Now considered an endangered speciesNow considered an endangered species

……..and Predators..and Predators

SnakesSnakes Galapagos HawkGalapagos Hawk Galapagos Sea LionGalapagos Sea Lion Galapagos SharksGalapagos Sharks Galapagos CrabsGalapagos Crabs

The EndThe End

Sources CitedSources Cited Galapagos Conservation Trust: land animals of Galapagos, Jan. 2010. Galapagos Conservation Trust: land animals of Galapagos, Jan. 2010.

www.gct.org/landfact.htmlwww.gct.org/landfact.html Global Volcanism Program. “Fernandina”Global Volcanism Program. “Fernandina” www.volcano.si.edu/world/volcano.cfm?numwww.volcano.si.edu/world/volcano.cfm?num La Cumbre Volcano. Galapagos Islands, April 16, 2009La Cumbre Volcano. Galapagos Islands, April 16, 2009

http://geology.com/news/2009/la-cumbre-volcano-galapagos-islands.shtmlhttp://geology.com/news/2009/la-cumbre-volcano-galapagos-islands.shtml Vnir, Aster. “Volcanic Islands in the Pacific Ocean, 2005. Vnir, Aster. “Volcanic Islands in the Pacific Ocean, 2005.

www.ersdac.or.jp/todaydata/032www.ersdac.or.jp/todaydata/032 White, W.M. “A Brief Introduction to the Geology of the Galapagos”, White, W.M. “A Brief Introduction to the Geology of the Galapagos”,

1997. 1997. www.geo.cornell.edu/geology/galapagoswwwwww.geo.cornell.edu/geology/galapagoswww WikiPedia, “Galapagos Islands”WikiPedia, “Galapagos Islands” en.wikipedia.org/wiki/galapagos_islandsen.wikipedia.org/wiki/galapagos_islands WWF The Galapagos Species. WWF The Galapagos Species. www.worldwildlife.org/what/wherewework/galpagos/species.htmlwww.worldwildlife.org/what/wherewework/galpagos/species.html