Global Reef Expedition: Galápagos
The Galápagos Islands: A unique oceanic location and a living laboratory of evolution characterized by fragmented, isolated landscapes, a high numbers of species found nowhere else in the world, and dramatically variable climatic conditions.
In June 2012, the Living Oceans Foundation visited the Galápagos Islands as part of the Global Reef Expedition.
Mission Galápagos Introduction
This Mission Galápagos Introduction video explains how the Galápagos Islands are in a unique oceanic location and are considered to be a living laboratory of evolution. The 19 islands and surrounding waters are characterized by fragmented, isolated landscapes, a high numbers of species found nowhere else in the world, and dramatically variable climatic conditions.
During the 1982-83 El Nino Southern Oscillation (ENSO) event, most of the coral reefs died and the framework disintegrated to rubble and sand. Remarkably, the reef systems have shown unusually high resilience, rebounding from this catastrophe, with only minimal subsequent damage from the 1997-98 ENSO event.
