The Galapagos Islands are so biodiverse because of the many different habitat zones that can be found across the Islands. There are coral reefs, highland forests, sand dunes and scrubland, and the changing habitats from island to island. Species diversity is only one piece of the biodiversity puzzle.
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Why is there such a huge diversity of marine life in the Galapagos?
There are so many marine species in Galapagos because of the cold ocean currents that bring rich nutrients for food and the great variety of habitats, coral reefs, mangrove lagoons, rocky areas and sandy beaches.
Why were the species on the Galapagos Islands so unique?
Not so for the Galapagos Islands.The remoteness and geographic isolation allowed the flora and fauna of the Galapagos to develop in a unique way, enabling the existence of giant tortoises, marine iguanas, flightless cormorants and a wide array of other unique and endemic species of plants and animals.
Why are islands more diverse?
Islands are often considered biodiversity hotspots due to the variety of species that have evolved to thrive on these remote pieces of land.The features of island living have led to a high number of endemic species, meaning these species are found nowhere else in the world.
Is the Galapagos a biodiversity hotspot?
Reached by four major ocean currents, including upwellings of deep water rich in nutrients, the Galápagos Islands off the coast of South America are a hotspot of biodiversity. Coexisting at this junction are tropical and temperate species and species typically found farther south.
What is the biodiversity of the Galapagos Islands?
The Galapagos Islands are home to some of the highest levels of endemism (species found nowhere else on earth) anywhere on the planet. About 80% of the land birds you will see, 97% of the reptiles and land mammals, and more than 30% of the plants are endemic.
What is diversity and biodiversity?
The term biodiversity (from “biological diversity”) refers to the variety of life on Earth at all its levels, from genes to ecosystems, and can encompass the evolutionary, ecological, and cultural processes that sustain life.
Why are the Galapagos Islands amazing?
Six hundred miles off the coast of Ecuador lies the Galápagos Archipelago: a world unto itself, forged of lava and isolated for thousands of years. The islands are known for their famously fearless wildlife and as a source of inspiration for Darwin’s theory of evolution.
Why are the Galapagos Islands important to natural selection?
With no place else to go, the Galápagos’ denizens adapted to conditions unique to their new homes.Their research has shown that natural selection is frequently at work in the Galápagos: After a drought, finches with larger beaks were able to eat tough seeds and survive; their offspring became predominant.
What is so important about the Galapagos Islands?
Facts. Six hundred miles off the coast of Ecuador lie the volcanic islands of the Galápagos, famous for a wealth of unique plants and animals found nowhere else in the world. The Galápagos Islands were the source of Darwin’s theory of evolution and remain a priceless living laboratory for scientists today.
Why are islands typically less diverse?
Island systems generally have fewer species than continental areas due to their small size and geographical isolation.
Which island is likely to have the most biodiversity?
Researchers have found the island of New Guinea is home to more than 13,000 plant species. This means it has the greatest plant diversity of any island in the world. 68% of these plants are endemic to New Guinea.
Which island would have the greatest biodiversity?
Madagascar is home to more than 8000 endemic species, making it the nation with the highest number of endemic species in sub-Saharan Africa. It has often been remarked that islands make a contribution to global biodiversity that is out of proportion to their land area.
Why does Ecuador have high biodiversity?
Ecuador is one of the 17 megadiverse countries of the world. This diversity is due to the location of the country in the neotropics, the presence of the Andes and the influence of the ocean’s currents on its coasts.
How many unique species are on the Galapagos Islands?
The Galapagos is home to over 9,000 species. These are all recorded in the datazone produced by the Charles Darwin Foundation. The list is always growing – despite scientists studying the wildlife on and around Galapagos for three centuries; new species are still being discovered every year.
What is the ecosystem of the Galapagos Islands?
On the Galapagos Islands, there are three major ecosystems: terrestrial, coastal and marine. In the years of El Niño, the ecosystems show their characteristic behaviours. In the terrestrial zone predominate heavy rains, which has a positive effect on the animals and plants in this zone.
Who noticed the diversity of species in the Galapagos Islands and began to study evolution?
The name of Charles Darwin and his famous book The Origin of Species will forever be linked with the Galapagos Islands. Although he was only in the Galapagos for five weeks in 1835, it was the wildlife that he saw there that inspired him to develop his Theory of Evolution.
What are 3 characteristics of the Galapagos tortoise?
Shell functions (Chiari et al. 2009)
- Protection.
- Regulation of body temperature (thermoregulation)
- Facilitation of mating and reproduction.
- Ability to turn over (“self-righting”)
- Locomotion.
- Storage of water, fat, and wastes.
What are some of the issues that threaten the existence of the Galapagos Islands?
The Galapagos Islands face many environmental threats. Ecosystem degradation could be caused by: climate change, deforestation, pollution, overfishing, eutrophication and the introduction of invasive species.
How important is the biological diversity?
Biodiversity is important to humans for many reasons.Ecological life support— biodiversity provides functioning ecosystems that supply oxygen, clean air and water, pollination of plants, pest control, wastewater treatment and many ecosystem services.
Why is genetic diversity important?
Genetic diversity serves as a way for populations to adapt to changing environments. With more variation, it is more likely that some individuals in a population will possess variations of alleles that are suited for the environment. Those individuals are more likely to survive to produce offspring bearing that allele.
