Scientific Research in the Galápagos

Scientists who conduct research on the Galápagos are privileged to have access to a truly unique natural laboratory for their study.  Since 1959, the islands have been designated as the Galápagos National Park.  In addition, the waters for 70 kilometers (40 nautical miles) around the islands are designated as the Galápagos Marine Reserve.  Because of the protected status of the islands, the numbers of researchers and the types of studies they can conduct on the islands are strictly regulated.  For example, researchers may not harm animals or plants and may not remove them from the islands. 

Among the scientists who have used the Galápagos Islands as a natural laboratory in which to study evolution, perhaps the most persistent have been Peter and Rosemary Grant.  Along with several of their colleagues, the Grants returned to these islands each year for almost 30 years.  During this time, they have made the most thorough and well-documented study ever of the Galápagos finches.  Their data is helping scientists understand evolution at a much more detailed level.  Their story also exemplifies many essential elements of the nature of science. 

The Beak of the Finch by Jonathan Weiner details the Grants' research and I highly recommend it.  It won the 1995 Pulitzer Prize for nonfiction—it reads like a thriller!  Click here to read an excerpt from the book. There is also a video about the Grants and their work with the finches. It is titled "What Darwin Never Saw" and we will watch it during Friday’s class.

Before class, please visit the Charles Darwin Research Station (http://www.darwinfoundation.org/).  The lab hosts several ongoing studies exploring a variety of questions in plant biology, ecology, marine biology, and evolution.  Do some online investigation and find out about current research projects in the Galápagos (for a list of individual studies type “research” in the search box).  Choose a project that interests you and use the information provided online to answer the following questions: 

1. What questions are the scientists trying to answer?
2. What data are the researchers collecting?
3. Is the researchers’ approach to their question descriptive, experimental, or a combination of both? 

Optional: Would you like to learn more about conservation issues in the Galápagos?
The special status of these islands and their surroundings helps to protect them from the pressures of development, commercial fishing, and tourism (see paragraph 1 above).  Despite the Islands’ protected status, however, there are still conservation issues that threaten the plants and animals of the Galápagos.  You can learn more about these issues by visiting the Galápagos Conservation Trust (http://www.gct.org).