UNESCO Research Galápagos Island

Galapagos Island

Galapagos island is located at the Pacific Ocean placed along the equator which is about 1 ,000 km from the coast of South America . It is composed of 13 main islands , 6 small islands and 107 islets and rocks ' A province of Ecuador , Galapagos islands ' capital is Puerto Baquerizo Moreno which is mostly inhabited by an estimated 18 ,000 people . Some of the islands were formerly active volcanoes but some are still active (Galapagos Conservation Trust , 2008 , Explore Galapagos

Biodiversity in Galapagos Island

Galapagos Island 's seclusion and

controlled population contributed to its rich and extensive biodiversity . Because of these factors , the pace of evolutionary changes have accelerated that resulted to diversification and the formation of new species called speciation . The geographical isolation of the island wherein the archipelago is isolated from the continent , the islands from each other by different distances , and the habitat types by their climatic differences ' aided in the promotion of different evolutionary tracks resulting to varying terrain , vegetation , animal and plant life between every islands (Charles Darwin Foundation , 2006 , Galapagos Land Ecosystems

Vegetation in Galapagos is influenced by land habitat and climate but is strongly zoned by altitude ' There are four vegetations zones in Galapagos namely : Littoral Zone which is affected by the salt spray alongside the coast Dry Zone has the biggest scope in the island Transition Zone is a vegetation of woodland and Humidi Zone is characterized by highland grasslands and Miconia scrub (Charles Darwin Foundation , 2006 , Galapagos Land Ecosystems

A variety of animal and plant life also forms the abundant biodiversity of Galapagos . There are many animals living in the island , in which most of them roam freely because of the absence of predators . Reptiles terrestrial mammals , birds and fishes are all endemic creatures and consider Galapagos as their home (Galapagos Conservation Trust , 2008 Explore Galapagos . One of the famous specie in this island is a giant pre-historic tortoise called Lonesome George . Galapagos tortoises are part of the species Geochelone elephantopus ' These animals have undergone fourteen forms depending on their location at the Galapagos But bad news for Lonesome George , if experts cant ' produce or obtain a mate for him soon , his species will become extinct . In addition , a wide array of animals have gained popularity within and outside the islands including the marine turtle , marine and land iguanas , lava lizards and others (Galapaguide , Galapagos Animals

Meanwhile , plant life is also as diverse and one of a kind as the animal life . There are many theories on how vegetation started in Galapagos . One possible scenario is when spores and seeds were transported by the wind or through the feet , plummage and digestive system of migratory birds ' or probably because of the force of the marine current (Galapagos Voyage , Galapagos Island Animal , Flora Fauna . Depending on the vegetation , various species of plants flowers and trees are present in every island . Some can only be solely found in Galapagos such as passion flower , tomato , guava and cotton Numerous plant species have changed...