The Galapagos Islands are at the cutting edge of science again – this time as the unfortunate bellwether for global warming and its destructive effects on marine and coastal ecosystems.

A recent article in the journal, Global Change Biology, reports that the warming of waters in the Galapagos by El Niño events, compounded by the unrestrained harvesting of sea life, has brought about devastating changes. It has led to the disappearance or threat of extinction of  45 species in Galapagos, including five mammals, six birds, five reptiles, six fishes, and seven corals. Among those threatened are the Mangrove Finch, Galapagos Sea Lion, Marine Iguana, and Galapagos Penguin.

The report follows a major scientific meeting convened last year by the Ecuadorian Ministry of Environment, the Galapagos National Park Service, Conservation International, World Wildlife Fund and other organizations. The aim was to assess the Galapagos’ vulnerability to climate change.

It found that the 1982 El Niño event, in particular, warmed Galapagos’ waters by several degrees, wiping out large areas of coral and kelp beds. The Galapagos Damsel (Azurina eupalama), once common, was not sighted after 1983. Galapagos Penguins declined to a critical level and are now within ”a hairsbreadth of annihilation.”

Compounding the effects of the 1982 and subsequent El Niño’s has been the massive and unsustainable harvesting of lobsters, sea cucumbers, and large predatory fish. This overfishing increased the population of sea urchins, which overgrazed corals and prevented their recovery.

Sylvia Earle, a leading authority on the world’s oceans, and one of the report’s co-authors, wrote,

“Nowhere on Earth are the combined impacts of climate change and overfishing more clearly defined than in the Galapagos Islands where unique assemblages of wildlife live on the sharp edge of change. Decades of data link recent fishing pressures to disruption of the islands’ fine-tuned systems, making them more vulnerable to natural – and anthropogenic changes in climate.”

Gabriel Lopez, Executive Director of the Charles Darwin Foundation, states,

“It is almost certain El Nino events will be more frequent, more intense” and could have a “devastating impact on the island’s endemic species like sea lions and marine iguanas.”

The report emphasized that Galapagos is a canary in the coal mine, a preview of what will happen to the world’s marine and coastal ecosystems as sea temperatures rise.

Report co-author, Professor Les Kaufmann from Boston University said,

“The Galapagos, the Rosetta Stone of evolution, is now teaching us the far-reaching impacts of climate change on ocean ecosystems. Though too late to stop, we now know that the impacts of climate change can be softened by cutting back on fishing. The wildlife we eat today was part of the inner workings of an ecosystem which was under stress from global climate change and when these ecosystems are damaged, species and livelihoods can vanish in a heartbeat.”

See also:

Galapagos: the “Rosetta Stone of Evolution” faces devastation from climate change and fishing

Galapagos Islands are transformed 

Wildlife of Galapagos Islands ‘devastated by ocean warming’

Scientists report colony of Galápagos sea lions in northern Peru

January 28, 2010 by Andean Air Mail & PERUVIAN TIMES

The Organization for Research and Conservation of Aquatic Animals, or Orca, says a colony of sea lions endemic to the Galápagos Islands have established a colony off the coast of northern Peru as a result of increased sea surface temperature in the region.

The colony includes 30 sea lions that traveled 1,500 kilometers, about 932 miles, from Ecuador’s Galápagos Islands to the Foca Island, located off the coast of Peru’s Piura department, daily El Comercio reported. The president of Orca, Carlos Yaipén, says the Foca colony is the first reported outside the Galápagos archipelago and due to an increase in sea temperature caused by climate change.

Full article…

The following was reported on Kelowna.com:

New genetic research has identified nine captive giant tortoises as descendants of an “extinct” species formerly endemic to Floreana Island in the Pacific’s Galápagos Islands.

“Based upon our findings, we now have an opportunity to breed the species and maintain the integrity of this distinct lineage,” says Michael Russello, a conservation geneticist at UBC Okanagan.

The species known as Chelonoidis elephantopus went extinct on Floreana Island in the 20th century due to human activities. The ultimate goal is to eventually repatriate the lost tortoise species on Floreana so the island can one day support a self-sustaining breeding population of the endemic giant tortoise.

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A new study shows that Galapagos’ birds may be able to develop immunities to introduced viruses and parasites. A ground finch in the islands has developed antibodies against a pox virus and a nest fly. More research is needed, but this gives some hope that bird populations in Galapagos may be able to resist serious introduced diseases.

For more details, see this article:

“Darwin’s Finches Develop Immunity to Alien Parasites”

The Galapagos National Park will roll out new (and much needed) regulations that will impact boat itineraries, visitor experience, and the length of cruises that can be sold.

The new regulations will allow each boat to operate a 15-day itinerary that does not visit any site more than once. Boats will be able to sell 7-day or 5-day (the minimum) itineraries. As the 7-day itineraries will be different, a two-week itinerary is also possible.

The new model was presented and discussed this past Wednesday (December 9) at a meeting between boat operators and the Galapagos National Park. According to the Park, this will cut visitation at 15 heavily used sites, give equal access to all boats at sites, increase the use of underused sites, enhance the visitor experience, reduce accidents, and reduce the total number of visitors by cutting out shorter itineraries.

The Park intends to implement this next year.