Galapogos islands
- Created by: Hannah Jeffery
- Created on: 22-01-15 17:37
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- The Galapagos Islands
- location
- extensive group of islands distributed either side of the Equator
- 900km west of Equator
- in the pacific ocean
- formed 3 million years ago from a series of volcanoes rising from the ocean floor where two ridges form a hotspot
- Biodiversity
- densely populated, high biodiversity
- 7000-9000 species
- Endemic species
- marine iguana
- the giant tortoise
- high risk because if they become extinct on the Galapagos then the whole species will be wiped out
- May be important for medicine
- marine iguana
- influenced Darwins theory of evolution
- Species adapt to their environment
- individuals within a species who have reproductive barriers can eventually become separate species
- survival of the fittest
- adaptive characteristics
- Species adapt to their environment
- Threats to the island
- population pressure
- 2005-2007 population doubled to 40,000
- by 2027 double again to 80000
- High unemployment of 40% in Ecuador
- high tourist industry in Galapagos so they move
- urbanisation
- deforestation
- over hunting
- over fishing
- population pressure
- Players involved in managing the islands
- PGN (translate to Galapagos national park)
- trying to eradicate introduced species that threaten biodiversity
- eg treat invasive plants with herbicides or dig them out by their roots
- trying to eradicate introduced species that threaten biodiversity
- UNESCO
- The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization
- protects world heritage sites
- 1986 a law was passed to control fishing and over-exploitation of Galapagos marine resources
- 97% of the land and the entire ocean within 60km is a national reserve
- The Charles Darwin foundation
- run captive breeding programmes for giant tortoises and land iguanas
- ensure that they don't become extinct
- PGN (translate to Galapagos national park)
- strategies for managing islands
- overfishing
- led to the decline of two aqua species
- fishing bans allowed certain aqua species to recover
- successful so ban was lifted
- quotas were put in place to sustain this
- Tourist numbers
- tourists act less sustainably
- tourist have to pay a tax of US$100 per head
- tax ensures there isn't a surplus of tourists
- tax will also fund green projects eg conserving biodiversity
- overfishing
- location
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