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Galapagos Midterm
Midterm for Saladin's Galapagos course
169
Biology
Undergraduate 2
10/09/2007

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Cards

Term
How did the islands form?
Definition
Submarine volcanic eruptions
Term
_______ off the coast of Ecuador
Definition
1000 km (620 mi)
Term
Political affiliation?
Definition
• politically they belong to Ecuador; 1832 Ecuador politically claims the islands
Term
archipelago
Definition
– a cluster of oceanic islands
Term
• about _____ of island land mass is set apart as a national park
Definition
94% (or so)
Term
What is the formal gov’t name ?
Definition
Archipiélago de Colón
o named in honor of the 400th Anniversary of Christopher Columbus
Term
What is the largest town?
Definition
• Puerto Ayora
Term
The most central island?
Definition
• Santa Cruz
Term
• Capital of the Galapagos
Definition
Puerto Baquerizo
Term
The Galapagos Platform
Definition
The massive submarine volcanic mountains from which the islands form
Term
The name sake of the islands.
Definition
• Galapagos Saddleback Tortoise
o Galapago = a type of saddle; spainish
Term
Why are the Galapagos so interesting?
Definition
a. Has some of the world’s best scuba diving spots (Wolf Rock)
b. Ecotourism
c. The voyage of Darwin and the Beagle in 1835
i. Observations at this place helped him to discover the theory of evolution
ii. Intellectual interest
1. Religion v. science
d. Ecologically undisturbed by human disturbance; natural laboratory for studies
e. Some people who don’t care about science go just to visit some place exotic
f. Animals hold the real mystique of the island; animals are very indifferent to your presence
g. Great geologic interest
i. People are fascinated with the volcanos on the islands
Term
How the hot spot (mantle plume) theory explains the origins of the Galápagos and Hawaiian Islands
Definition
a. A magma chamber which is relatively fixed in location for a long time, magma flows to the surface, it builds up over time. While the hotspot is fixed, plate tectonics moves the islands off of the hotspot
b. Galapagos islands are formed in the same way, although the two islands groups flow in different directions
Term
Approximate ages of the oldest and youngest Galápagos Islands, where in the archipelago the oldest and youngest ones are found, and how this relates to plate tectonics.
Definition
a. Youngest: Fernadina and Isabella
i. Location: northwest
700,000 years old

b. Oldest: Espanola
i. Location: southeast
3.25 million years old
Term
plate tectonics
Definition
earth’s crust is divided into 16 plates, that are in constant motion
Term
basalt
Definition
hardened lava
Term
mantle
Definition
superheated solid rock, thickest part of the earth, pressure is so great that it keeps it a solid
Term
magma
Definition
molten rock
Term
asthenosphere
Definition
(means weak)– upper mantle, region where the pressure is enough to allow the rock to liquify
Term
lithosphere
Definition
the Earth’s solid crust
Term
Peru Thrust
Definition
the condition where the Nazca plate meets the South America plate, pushes the Andes Mtns. And Himalyian Mtns.
Term
oceanic island
Definition
islands that form in isolation in the middle of the ocean by volcanic eruption; relatively short-lived
Term
continental shelf island
Definition
– form a continental shelf that form a connection to the mainland
Term
submarine eruption
Definition
areas where eruptions occur underwater and build up over time
Term
subaerial eruption
Definition
if the eruption breaks the surface of the water; exposed in the air
Term
Seamount
Definition
a flat topped volcanic formation under the surface of the water, can be capped with coral
Term
Carnegie Ridge
Definition
– remains of older Galapagos Islands are here
Term
Roca Redonda
Definition
a very volcanic submarine area, geologists think that this is the candidate for the next Galapagos
Term
o Seamount
Definition
– a flat-top volcanic formation under the surface of the water
Term
• Volcan Cotopaxi
Definition
Ecuador's highest active volcano
Term
Plate tectonics
Definition
o 16 plates on the earth, composed of basalt
o vigorously disputed until the 1950s
Term
• Layers of the earth
Definition
o Inner core—solid rock (Fe/Ni)
o Outer core—molten (Fe/Ni)
o Mantle—superheated solid rock; would melt if not for the pressure; thickest part of the earth’s crust
o Asthenosphere (Astheno - means weak)—upper mantle, where reduced pressure allows rock to melt and form magma (subsurface molten rock)
o Lithosphere (crust)—the solid rock at the surface, divided into tectonic plates, we live on this layer
Term
o Asthenosphere
Definition
(Astheno - means weak)—upper mantle, where reduced pressure allows rock to melt and form magma (subsurface molten rock
Term
• Movement of Tectonic Plates
Definition
o The interior of the earth is unevenly heated
o Rock rises to the surface, and spills over midoceanic ridges -> this creates new crust
o When one of the midoceanic plates/tectonic plate collide with a continent the continent goes under the tectonic plate (because it is less dense than the tectonic plate) and it remelts, recycling rock– this is known as subduction
o Typically these plates move 1-10 cm per year
Term
subduction
Definition
o When one of the midoceanic plates/tectonic plate collide with a continent the continent goes under the tectonic plate (because it is less dense than the tectonic plate) and it remelts, recycling rock
Term
• The Nazca plate
Definition
o Bordered by the Cocos plate (moves to the north)
o The Nazca plate moves to the south
o The East Pacific rise – an area of sea floor spreading (moves to the southeast)
o The Galapagos move 7 cm per year towards the south American continent
o Where the Nazca plate meets south America it move under (The Peru Thrust) and thus raises the Andes Mountains
Term
o The East Pacific rise
Definition
– an area of sea floor spreading (moves to the southeast)
Term
o Oceanic islands
Definition
islands that form in the middle of the ocean by volcanic eruption
Term
o Continental shelf islands
Definition
– islands that are formed on a continental shelf by former connection to the mainland
Term
• How are the islands formed
Definition
o The way these islands formed are by formation of mantle plumes, which spread under the rock of the litoshphere and form mantle chambers; the lava flows out to form dikes(vertical well like tunnels of magma) and sills(horizontal magma flows)
o You’ll have thousands of these building up over thousands of years, and then one will erupt that is close enough to the surface and will break through the surface of the water
Term
dikes
Definition
(vertical well like tunnels of magma)
Term
sills
Definition
(horizontal magma flows)
Term
o Kavachi Seamount
Definition
a new oceanic lsland that is forming near Austrailia
Term
o Hot Spot theory
Definition
the main theory that explains the formation of the Galapagos Islands
• Magma flows up through the hotspot and form volcanic islands
• The magma chamber stays stationary, while the islands move
• The Galapagos move in a southeasternly direction
• The islands lie on the Galapagos platform
Term
What are two of the most volcanically active islands in the world?
Definition
o Fernandina and Isabella are two of the most volcanically active islands in the world
• All of the islands are formed by one volcano
• Isabella was formed by 6 volcanos
Term
o Life span of oceanic islands
Definition
• Most are very short-lived
Term
Ages of islands in the Galapagos
Definition
• The oldest of the Galapagos islands are 3.5-3.8 million years old
• Most are very short-lived\
• Once they move off of the hotspot, the islands start to erode and fall into the water and coral grows on them
• Seamounts – a volcanic island that erodes and becomes consumed by rock and coral
• Youngest (Fernandina and Isabella) – 700,000 years old
• Oldest island (Espanola) – 3.25 years old
• There are some small islands are 5 million years old, but over time have been covered by water
Term
o Some of the most eroded islands
Definition
• Kicker Rock
• Daphne Major (very famous site in the study of Galapagos finches) and Daphne Minor
Term
Some estimate that the Galapagos will be gone in _____
Definition
20 million years
Term
• Volcanism
Definition
- process in which magma and gases rise through the lithosphere and are extruded onto the surface or ejected into the atmosphere
Term
Volcano
Definition
A conical mountain formed around a vent where lava, gases, and pyroclastic material are ejected.
o A place where volcanism occurs
Term
• World distribution of active volcanoes
Definition
o Clustered around the Pacific Rim = “The Ring of Fire”
o 550 Active Volcanos around the world
• 60% Circumpacific (in the actual ring)
• 20% Mediterranean
• Others are mostly near oceanic rifts or areas with seafloor spreading
Term
• Examples of Recently Active volcanoes
Definition
• Mau Loa
• Mt. Etna
• Mt. Fuji
• Mt. St. Helens
Term
• Longest continual eruption
Definition
Kilauea
• Has been erupting nonstop since 1983
Term
Ecuador’s Recent Volcanic eruptions
Definition
• El Reventador near Quito
o 3 Nov. 2002
o Expected to continue to keep ejecting steam and gas
o Not expected to become explosive any time soon
• Guagua Pichincha near Quito
o 7 Oct. 1999
o on the flank of El Reventador
o 1999 erupted; hadn’t erupted since 1616 (300 years)
Term
• Places where magma forms beneath the lithosphere
Definition
o Forms fairly close to the surface
o Accumulates in most magma chambers
o Forms along spreading rifts (especially in the ocean) where tectonic plates are drifting away from each other
• Pressure here is lower
o Subduction zones
o Wherever local concentrations of radioactive minerals are generating a great deal of heat
• Throught to be responsible for hot spots
Term
Types of Volcanoes
Definition
(depending on nature of the magma)
o Stratovolcano - Felsic magma (high silicates (makes it thicker, traps more gas and steam), low Fe-Mg, more viscous, traps steam and gases,) often explosive (ex. Mt. Fuji, Japan, Mt. St. Helens); not the type we see in the Galapagos
o Shield volcano - Mafic magma (low silicates, high Fe-Mg, less viscous, flows easily, traps less gas, seldom explosive (ex. Belknap Volcano, Oregon), described as an overturned soup bowl; seen in the volcanoes of Hawaii and the Galapagos; from a distance, we might not think that it was a volcano.
Term
o Stratovolcano
Definition
Felsic magma (high silicates (makes it thicker, traps more gas and steam), low Fe-Mg, more viscous, traps steam and gases,) often explosive (ex. Mt. Fuji, Japan, Mt. St. Helens); not the type we see in the Galapagos
Term
Shield volcano
Definition
- Mafic magma (low silicates, high Fe-Mg, less viscous, flows easily, traps less gas, seldom explosive (ex. Belknap Volcano, Oregon), described as an overturned soup bowl; seen in the volcanoes of Hawaii and the Galapagos; from a distance, we might not think that it was a volcano.
Term
• Modes of Eruption
Definition
o Lava flow - Mafic magma outgases easily, flows easily; may exhibit lava fountains; typical of shield volcanoes
o Explosive eruption - Felsic magma traps gas and steam until it explodes; more destructive; more cost to human lives; common along subduction zones; these take more people by surprise and are more unexpected
Term
o Lava flow
Definition
- Mafic magma outgases easily, flows easily; may exhibit lava fountains; typical of shield volcanoes
Term
Explosive eruption
Definition
Felsic magma traps gas and steam until it explodes; more destructive; more cost to human lives; common along subduction zones; these take more people by surprise and are more unexpected
Term
• Types of Ejecta
Definition
o Gases
• 50-80% steam
• plus CO2, H2, H2S, SO2
o Pycroclastic (Pyro = fire, -clastic = to break down ) Matter (Tephra)
• Ash (< 2mm)
• Lapilli (literally means “little stones”) (2-64 mm)
• Bombs/blocks (>64 mm)
o Lava
Term
Ejecta
Definition
– material that are ejected from volcanoes
Term
o Pycroclastic
Definition
(Pyro = fire, -clastic = to break down ) Matter (Tephra)

• Ash (< 2mm)
• Lapilli (literally means “little stones”) (2-64 mm)
• Bombs/blocks (>64 mm)
Term
• Pyroclastic Flow
Definition
- Downhill movement of ejecta (ash, boulders, mud, gas); often travel 100 mph; scalding hot; responsible for great losses of life (especially in Philippines, Montserrat).
Term
• Lahar
Definition
A wet pyroclastic flow: water, ash, lapilli, mud.
o Typical of eruption of a snow- or ice-capped volcano when melted snow and ice mix with ejecta.
o Some have killed >20,000 people in one eruption.
o Hardens into the consistency of concrete.
Term
• 2 Basic Types of Lava
Definition
o Pahoehoe (means “rope”): ropy lava formed when surface cools but subsurface lava continues to flow, relatively easy to walk on.
o A’a (means “ouch, ouch”): sharp, jagged lava, painful to walk on (“ouch ouch”); formed from cinders carried on surface of flow or when you have a rain flow during an eruption; typically you’ll see a’a flank pahoehoe along the sides during a lava eruption
Term
o Pahoehoe
Definition
(means “rope”): ropy lava formed when surface cools but subsurface lava continues to flow, relatively easy to walk on.
Term
o A’a
Definition
(means “ouch, ouch”): sharp, jagged lava, painful to walk on (“ouch ouch”); formed from cinders carried on surface of flow or when you have a rain flow during an eruption; typically you’ll see a’a flank pahoehoe along the sides during a lava eruption
Term
o Intrusive igneous rocks
Definition
– formed by magma that flow into the cracks of the litosphere and cool, rather than erupting to the surface
Term
Types of Igneous Rocks
Definition
Gabbro

Granite

Basalt
Term
o Granite
Definition
• Intrusive igneous rock, relatively high in silicates, lower in iron and magnesium, medium to coarsely crystalline, lighter in color
Term
o Gabbro
Definition
• Intrusive igneous rock, relatively high in iron and magnesium, lower in silicates, coarser grain, darker color
Term
o Basalt
Definition
• Extrusive igneous rock formed when mafic erupts and solidifies in air, only one that forms this way
Term
o Crater
Definition
is a conical, usually less than 1 km diameter, formed by blowout of ejecta from summit (Ex. The Crater of Cotopaxi)
Term
o Caldera
Definition
(Sp., “cauldron”) is up to 22 km diameter, usually with steep sides; formed by collapse of an unstable roof over a magma chamber (Ex. The Caldera of Sierra Negra)
Term
• Some Calderas Misnamed “Craters”
Definition
Crater Lake, Oregon
o Los Gemelos “pit craters” of Isla Santa Cruz
• Pit craters – sunken magma chambers
Term
• La Humbre
Definition
o On the islands of Fernandina
o Collapse of this caldera was said the be the most dramatic geological event that has ever occurred in the Galapagos
o Occureed in 1968
o 800 m below the rim before the collapse
o fell another 350 m
o the drop set of 200 earthquakes in one day
o ejected ash and gas 15 mi. into the sky
o in 1988 is collapsed some more, but it’s effects were not as intense as the 1968 collapse
Term
• Examples of Parasitic Cones
Definition
Ex. Mt. Shasta and parasitic cone Shastina (California)
o Ex. Isla Bartolome, a parasitic cone of lsla Santiago
Term
• Cinder Cones (Scoria Cone) / Spatter Cones
Definition
- Both form by aggregation of falling ejecta—cinder cones from lapilli and spatter cones from molten lava
Term
• Tuff Cones
Definition
also known as an ash ring (Saladin doesn’t find this term appropriate); formed when eruptions in or near water mix water, ash, and lapilli, hardening into cement-like rock. One eruption can produce several layers. Layers are formed by the seperation of particles from one eruption (ie/ heavy particles from first layer, lighter particles form next layer, etc. many layers can from from one eruption)
o Ex. Kicker Rock near Isla San Cristobal and Tuff layers at James Bay, Isla Santiago
Term
• Lava Tubes and Lava Tunnels
Definition
These form when surface lava hardens while molten lava is still flowing beneath it. Molten lava drains out and leaves a hollow tube (small) or tunnel (large, cave-like).
Term
• Fumaroles
Definition
surface vents that emit steam, sulfur dioxide, carbon dioxide, hydrogen sulfide, hydrochloric acid, etc.
o Ex. Volcán Chico, a parasitic cone of Sierra Negra (Galapagos)
o Ex. Yellowstone National Park
o Ex. Fourpeaked Glacier, AK
o Ex. Mt. Baker, Washington
Term
o Black sand
Definition
(Isla Santiago)
• Eroded basalt that hasn’t oxidized
• Relatively low iron content
Term
o White sand
Definition
(Isla Fernandina)
• Fragments of coral, sea urchins, def. animal remains
Term
o Red sand
Definition
(Isla Rábida)
• High iron content in the lava that has oxidized to give the rusty red color
Term
o Olivine sand
Definition
Isla Floreana)
• High in olivine, takes a long time to oxidize
• None of the islands in the Galapagos are exceptionally green, but they have a green tint
• This is much more common in Hawaii (very pronounced color)
Term
• 2 kinds of islands
Definition
formed by volcanic eruption
o formed by uplift – look this up
Term
• A Few Basics of Galápagos Geography
Definition
o Latitude: 2 00’N – 2 24’ S (Official Range)
o Longitude: approximately 89-92 W (Official Range)
o Greatest distance from islands – 257 mi (414 km) from Darwin Island to Espanola
o From Guayaquil:
• ~1,000 km (600 mi)
• ~90 min. flight
o Land Area: 8,000 sq. km. (5% of land area GA)
o Total area (Land-sea area): 59, 595 sq. km (40% of GA, about equal to WV)
o Isabella alone is 60% of this
Term
Official Range of the Islands
Definition
o Latitude: 2 00’N – 2 24’ S (Official Range)
o Longitude: approximately 89-92 W (Official Range)
Term
o Greatest distance from islands
Definition
257 mi (414 km) from Darwin Island to Espanola
Term
• Pinta
Definition
o Notable because it was the home of Lonesome George
Term
• Darwin and Wolf Islands
Definition
o Only get to see these for either research or scuba diving
o Anomalous ages and geologic origins; not from the hotspot
o You can’t get on the islands because they are so high up; no way to get on the island by boat
o Were belived to have formed by a random crack in the lithosphere that gave rise to an eruption; not the same hotspot that formed the other islands
o Darwin Island ? 400,000 yrs old
o Wolf Island ? Some lava flows up to 1,600,000 yrs old
Term
• Inhabited Islands
Definition
o San Cristóbal:
• Puerto Baquerizo Moreno (capital of the province)
o Santa Cruz:
• Puerto Ayora
• Charles Darwin Research Station
• Academy Bay
• Several highland farming towns
o Floreana:
• Post Office Barrel
• Puerto Velasco Ibarra (Wittmer fam.)
o Isabela:
• Puerto Villamil
Term
• Baltra
Definition
o US had its military base in WW2
o The airport was turned over to Equador
o Site of the airport
Term
Currents in the Galaopagos
Definition
o Humboldt Current
• Peru Coastal and Peru Oceanic Currents
• Cold Antarctic water running up coast of Chile & Peru
o Niño (Panama) Flow
• Warm water from north
o South Equatorial Current
• Westbound, formed by convergence of these
o Cromwell Current
• Deeper eastbound current
• Creates tremendous upwelling
Term
o Marine snow
Definition
– constant drift of dead marine animals to the bottom of the sea floor
Term
• Coastal Upwelling
Definition
o There is a very steep part in the ocean by the western part of the Galapagos (at the Galapagos platform), and the Humboldt current produces and upwelling
o What happens is that is brings up nutrients that have been brought up from the sea floor
o Marine snow – constant drift of dead marine animals to the bottom of the sea floor
o Winds off the Andes push warm surface water out to sea
o Allows cold coastal water to rise from sea floor
o This carries nutrients (especially phosphates) which support food chain:
o First, you have a growth in phytoplankton, which are fed on my zooplankton which are fed on by fish and squid
• Photoplankton ? Zooplankton ? Fish (especially anchovies) and Squid
Term
• Upwelling at Western Edge of Galápagos Platform
Definition
o We see most of the Galapagos penguins here
o Fishing is rich out there, so the penguins have an easy time finding nourishment
o Also can be found at Pinnacle Rock (near Santiago) theres also a cold upwelling
Term
Seasons in the Galápagos
Definition
2 seasons governed by the shifting of the currents
o no summer or winter seasons, just wet and dry
Term
• Warm Wet Season
Definition
• December to May
• Panama (Nino) flow dominates Southerly trade winds abate
• The water isn’t very choppy
• Niño Flow from Panama warms the islands
• Air temps to 35-37°C (high 90°s F)
• Sea surface temps (SST) ~25°C
• Clear blue skies, occasionally a heavy rain in the lowlands
• Gentle seas
• Occasional heavy rain
• Islands green up
• Flowers, fruits, insects
• Land birds breed prolifically due to high presence of insects
• Most of the breeding with the birds starts around May
Term
• Cool Dry Season (Garúa)
Definition
• June to November
• Cool southerly trade winds return and displace warm Niño Flow
• Air temps to 29-30°C (mid-80°s F)
• Sea surface temps (SST) ~22°C
• Rougher seas, may be choppy
• Upwelling
• Prolific seabird breeding
• Skies overcast
• Misty rain (garúa) in highlands (due to Inversion layer effect)
• Lowlands drier, parched
• Sea lions breed and some other birds breed
Term
o The Inversion Layer Effect
Definition
• Air cooled by Humboldt Current is pushed under warm air from Central America
• Creates inversion layer (opposite from normal)
• As the two air layers ascend the mountains, they mix and condensation forms at 100-200 m
• Highlands get mist (garúa) while lowlands remain parched
Term
o The Rain Shadow Effect
Definition
• Lush green vegetation on the SE (windward) side.
• Parched brown vegetation on the NE (leeward) side.
• Trade winds are coming in from southeast, and as they climb the mountains, they drop their moisture on that side
• When they go over the mountain they have no preciptiation
Term
o Galápagos Altitudinal Zonation
Definition
• Intersesting divergence of vegetation on the islands (due to the rain shadow effect)
• The plants that need more moisture are seen lower on the rainy side of the island, but when you go to the drier side of the island the moisture requiring plants are higher up.
• Coastal Zone
• Arid Zone – things are distinctly more dry, shrubby (cactus)
• Transition Zone
• Scalesia Zone – dominated by Scalesia trees, relatively dry area, sometimes form a canopy
• Brown Zone
• Miconia Zone
• Pampa Zone
Term
• El Niño
Definition
—an atypical and very sudden appearance of unusually warm water along equatorial Pacific, especially coast of Peru and Southern Ecuador
• Has global effects, but its effects are concentrated along the equator
• A plume of warm water forms near the Galapagos
• No one knows how it forms
• Irregular intervals of 1-12 years
• Warm SSTs and greatly increased rainfall (at the point of torrential rainfall
• Terrestrial life flourishes (finches, mockingbirds, etc.)
o Feeing on fruits, insects because things are more wet
• Marine life suffers from lack of upwelling and fish
o The warm SST ceases upwelling
o The nutrient upflow ceases, thus the squid pop. Plummets.
o All of the animals that depend on the aquatic lifeforms perish
o Even the marine iguanas perish because the algae dries up
• Named for the Spainish “Child or Boy” due to the fact that these occur in November. and December, near Christmas. This is an allusion to the Christ child
• This occurs due to trade winds and currents that travel from South America towards the Phillipines and Indonesia. The water piles up, and the sea level rises. After a while, it flows back down, but before the flow occurs, the water heats up tremendously
o What makes this happen in certain years is still a mystery
Term
• Beneficiaries of an El Nino
Definition
• Finches
• Mockingbirds
Term
• Casualities of an El Nino
Definition
• Iquanas
• Scalesia can die of root rot
• Shallow-rooted Opuntia cactus trees become waterlogged and topple over
Term
• El Niño has helped some introducedspecies get established.
Definition
• Smooth-billed ani, Crotophaga ani
o A variety of cuckoo
o Introduced into the islands because cattle farmers thought they could control the tick problen
• Tree frogs (Hylidae)
o There are no amphibians on the Galapagos
o They come over to the island riding on plants that are brought to the area
Term
• Fray Tomas de Berlanga
Definition
o First person to ever see the islands (February1535)
o The Bishop of Panama
o Dispatched by the church to investigate the political discourse between the conquistadors, mainly Pizarro in Peru
o Alarmed by the actions of the conquistadors, and questioned if Spain had any right of being there at all
o Set sail and his ship got caught in the south equatorial current, and his boat ran into the Galapagos
o He found only meager amounts of fresh water, 2 of his men died due to dehydration
o He managed to get back to the mainland, and wrote a report on the island
• “It looked as if God, at some time, had rained stones.”
• His report stated that the islands were not worth exploring; hostile and worthless
Term
• Diego de Rivadeneira
Definition
o Amid army in-fighting among Conquistadors, loses battle to Pizarro’s army; fears capture/torture and death; Sets sail for Central America to escape
o Sails west to avoid Pizarro’s ships, finds Galápagos; sees smoking volcanoes (Isabella?); makes it to Guatemala.
o Reported seeing some 10 or 12 islands
o Names the islands Las Encantadas (the Enchanted Isles), 1546
o Spainish government declines his request for permission to return and explore
Term
• Abraham Ortelius
Definition
(1527-1598)
o Flemish Cartographer
o Composed the first world atlas, 1570
o Composed the Galapagos into three islands, and named them Isolae de los Galopegos (after the tortoises), used Berlanga’s descriptions to map the islands
o Later name in newer revision of the map: Isolas de Galapagas
Term
Dates of high Pirating in the Galapagos
Definition
1680s
Term
• William Dampier
Definition
1697
o A famous pirate
o The most literary of the buccaneers, wrote a lot of popular novels in Europe (the popular reading at the time was travel literature)
o He liked the Galapagos
o Published account of Galapagos in 1697
• Reports were of little of value
• His reports became the basis for Hacke
o Raided Spanish galleons and coastal cities in Caribbean and Peru
Term
• William Hacke
Definition
o A cartographer who used reports of Dampier’s associates to create maps of the Galapagos
o First person to name the islands after English nobles:
• Charles (Floreana)
• James (Santiago)
• Albemarle (Isabela)
• Narborough (Fernandina)
Term
• Woodes Rogers
Definition
1727
o English buccaneer
o Eventually named governor of the Bahamas
o Commissioned him to drive out all of the pirates and replace them with English pirates
o He didn’t like the islands that much
o Rescued Alexander Selkirk from Juan Fernadez Island in 1709
• Basis for Robinson Crusoe
• Lived on the Galapagos for a while
• William Dafoe heard his story and basically stole it
Term
• James Colnett
Definition
, 1793
o British Naval Captain
o Thought Galapagos was a nice place
o Named 4 more of the islands:
• Chatham (San Cristobal)
• Barrington (Santa Fe)
• Duncan (Pinzon)
• Hood (Espinola) islands
Term
• The Floreana Post Office Barrel
Definition
o Established in the 1790s
o Created as a drop point for mail to be picked up by another ship and taken back to England or New England
o Today, perpetuated by tourists; tourist novelty
o Only place on the island where you can leave any graffiti
Term
• George Vancouver
Definition
o 1795
o Royal Navy captain
o explorer mostly in the northwestern part of US and Canada
o Didn’t have a favorable impression of his visit to the island
Term
• Whaling
Definition
o Hayday was1790s to 1850s
o Extensive hunting my British and American whalers
o Extensive birthing of whale calves because the temperature is optimal for the young that have no blubber-not a lot of food, they move to colder areas where nourishment is more plentiful
o Also hunted the fist seals and sea loins for oil, pelts, etc.
Term
• David Porter
Definition
o American Naval Captain
o Served during War of 1812
o Dispatched to Galapagos by the to destroy as many British whaling ships as possible (1815)
o Released goats on Santiago island; very detrimental
o Wrote a natural history of the Galapagos, some feel that it is second to Darwin
o Used letters from the post office barrel in order to gain valuable military information; posted fake letters notifying ships of a rendezvous
o Captured and 12 ships this way; this put an end to British whaling
Term
• Herman Melville
Definition
o 1841-1844
o Some accounts say he made three visits, some say once
o He based Moby Dick on his trips to the Galapagos
o At 1854 he was at a low point in his career, he wasn’t getting anyone to take his work; published 10 sketches of the Galapagos in Putnam’s “The Encantadas” or Enchanted Isles
• named it “evilly enchanted ground”
• Fernandina has “no soil whatever; one seamed clinker from top to bottom.”
• Isabela is populated by “an incompatable host of fiends, ant-eaters, man-haters, and salamanders.”
Term
• Patrick Watkins
Definition
o First inhabitant of the Galapagos (1807)
o Marooned on Floreana
o Managed to make a living growing potatoes, tobacco, pumpkins, etc.
o Traded the vegetables for cash or rum
o Has a nasty habit of kidnapping sailors
• He would get them drunk, hide them, and when the ship would leave without parts of its crew
• He would enslave them
o In 1809 he stole a long boat from a whaling ship, enslaving 5 sailors
• Used the boat to get to Guayaquil
• Only one that made it to Guayaquil alive
• Rumored to have cannibalized the other sailors
o Described as a Wildman
• Long, stringy, wild red hair
• Wore tattered rags for clothes
• He didn’t talk in coherent English
Term
• Don Jose de Villamil
Definition
o Persuaded Ecudaor to annex the Galapagos and take political possession of them in 1832
o He was from Louisiana
o Wanted the government to establish a colony there
o Set up Asilo de la Paz (“The Haven of Peace”) near Black Beach, Floreana
• Floreana was named after the President of Ecuador (Juan Flores) the time
o Name as governor of the island
o Introduced numerous crops and domesticated animals to Foreana
o He made the poor decision by taking convicted felons (murderers, etc.) on the islands to help colonize it
o Darwin commented on this settlement on the poor living conditions
o He resigned, and was replaced by Col. J. Williams, who was very cruel to the prisoners (Villamil was pretty good to the prisoners)
• There was an uprising by the settlers, who drove Williams out in an uprising of 1841, and he fled to San Cristobel
• He was killed by rebels in 1852 in Guayaquil
o Villamil continued to establish colonies on the islands, never had permanent success; died at Guayaquil in 1866
Term
• Manuel Cobos
Definition
o Established a colony on San Cristobal island in 1869, called “El Progresso”
• Still a colony that is there with the same name, but it is not the same one
o Very cruel, whipped the colonists
o For punishment he sometimes dismembered them
o Murdered with machetes
o San Cristobal still has a town called El Progresso, but it is not the same one
Term
• Norwegians Establish Puerto Ayora (1926)
Definition
o Established first successful colony
o Created Puerto Ayora
o Set up as a fishing village
o Made a huge effort to attract people to come and live there by using very fanticiful propaganda
o Tried to establish a colony of Floreana Islands
• This island was the only one with accessible fresh water
• They set up a fish cannery, but it failed.
• Remains are still visible
Term
• Charles Robert Darwin (dates)
Definition
(1809-1882)
Term
Erasmus Darwin
Definition
o Grandfather of Charles Darwin
• Wrote “Zoonomia”
• Proposed evolutionary change in that book
• Wrote poem “The Temple of Nature”
• It outrightly proposed a theory of evolution
Term
Robert Darwin
Definition
Charles Darwin's father
• Cut semi circle out of dining room table so he could get close to the food
• Physician
• Didn’t think his son would amount to very much
Term
Schools Darwin attended
Definition
o Attended Edinburgh University (Scotland) to study medicine
• Found professors to be very dull
• Didn’t have the stomach to handle dissection of human cadavers
• Also was disturbed by an intense surgery performed on a young patient
• Dropped out
o Christ’s College
• Many naturalists were pastors
• Darwin felt he was a man of considerable religious faith
• Earned a bachelor’s degree in divinity
• Mentor: John Henslow
Term
John Henslow
Definition
Darwin's mentor
Term
Capt. Robert Fitzroy
Definition
captain of the HMS BEagle
Term
• Voyage of the Beagle (dates)
Definition
1831-1836
Term
• Charles Lyell
Definition
• Wrote “Principles of Geology”
o Argued that the earth was much older than the Bible literalists believed
o Argued for Uniformitarianism – the idea the the geologic formations of the earth were created by the same processes that we see today; not by a big catastrophe or supernatural event
Term
Uniformitarianism – the idea the the geologic formations of the earth were created by the same processes that we see today; not by a big catastrophe or supernatural event
Definition
– the idea the the geologic formations of the earth were created by the same processes that we see today; not by a big catastrophe or supernatural event

-theory of Lyell
Term
• Darwin in the Andes
Definition
• Found marine fossils high in the Andes in elevations up to 13, 000 ft.
• Ruins of Concepcion, Chile
o The earthquake of 1835 lifted the earth two or three feet in one day
o He saw rock that were encrusted with mussels lifted 10 ft. above sea level
o Reasoned that if one earthquake could lift the earth about 10 feet overnight, and the earth was 100,000 years old –fossils got up into the Andes do to massive uplifting
Term
• The Beagle in the Galapagos
Definition
• Arrived in September 1835
• The Beagle sent out smaller survey boats
• The beagle only visited 4 islands while the survey boats visited much more
• Spent 5 weeks in the Galapagos (36 Days)
o Sep. 15—Arrived near Española (no landing)
o Sep. 17—San Cristóbal (6 days)
o Sep. 23—Floreana (9 days)
• Saw Vilamil’s colony – commented on miserable living conditions of the inhabitants there
• Commented that the island had been plundered by whalers and buccaneers there
o Sep. 29—Isabela (9 days)
o Oct. 8—Santiago (12 days)
• Went onshore for the longest of any of the islands
o Oct. 20—Departed for Tahiti
o Reached England exactly a year later
Term
• In Darwin’s Footsteps
Definition
—Isabela Island
Tagus Cove
o Hike around the perimeter of Darwin Lake (Beagle Lake)
o Looks like a margatia with a salt rim
• Had salt deposits-saltier than the actual sea water
Term
o Darwin at home
Definition
• Got back to England and never traveled again
• Lived 9 miles outside of England and hardly ever traveled to the city
• It was hypothesized that he contracted Chagus disease in South America
• Had the stamina to write 2-3 hours a day, but he churned out several papers
• Married his first cousin – Emma Wedgewood
• Gave birth to 10 children
• They both lived in the Down House
• It is now a museum to Darwin
• 1849 he was intensely writing on the theory of natural selection
• He was far from reclusive – he had several visitors, corresponded with several scientists around the world and many laymen (experts in selective fields, vegetables, pigeons, etc.)
Term
Emma Wedgewood
Definition
Darwin's first cousin and wife
Term
o Jean-Baptiste Lamarck
Definition
• Believed in the theory of use and disuse in terms of evolution
• He was ridiculed for this blunder
• He had stated these theories before Darwin’s work
Term
o Thomas Mathus
Definition
• “An Essay on the Principle of Population”
• Showed that the human population would outrun the food supply
• Then only through competition would the population would be able to attain resources and thus survive
• Darwin read this book and proclaimed “At last I have got a theory by which to work.”
Term
• Alfred Russell Wallace
Definition
o Dropped out of school at 6th grade
o Made money by selling his collections
o During a fit of malaria, he thought about the theory of natural selection
o Wallace decided to write up his idea, and send it to Darwin (who was upset about this, and thunderstuck)
o Darwin considered that Wallace’s letter was basically a paper
o His friends told him not to yield the credit because he had done all the work
o Forced Darwin’s hand
o 1823-1913
Term
"Origin of the Species"
Definition
o There was a 20 year gap between his reading and publishing of “Origin of the Species” (1859)
• Called this an abstract of his theory
• Called the “Book that Shook the World”
• Full title: “On the Origin of Species by Means of Natural Selection Or the Preservation Favored Races and the Struggle For Existence”
• Book sold out the first day of publication
• Created a storm in the scientific community because many scientists at the time were creationists
Term
• The Huxley-Wilberforce Debate
Definition
1860

-Thomas Henry Huxley

-Samuel Wiberforce

• “I wouldn’t be ashamed is he came from a monkey. But he would be ashamed to be related to a man who used his gifts to obscure the truth”
Term
o Samuel Wilberforce
Definition
• 1805-1873
• Bishop of Oxford
• “Silky Sam”
• staunch Creationist
• came out very insolent during the debate
Term
o Thomas Henry Huxley
Definition
• 1825-1895
• One of Darwin’s most avid supporters
• “Darwin’s Bulldog”
• Darwin didn’t like to argue
• Huxley felt the point needed to be argued because there was so much resistance to the idea
• Comparative anatomist and palentologist
• More scientific and humble during the debate
• “I wouldn’t be ashamed is he came from a monkey. But he would be ashamed to be related to a man who used his gifts to obscure the truth”
Term
• John Gould
Definition
• Famous English Ornithologist
• Produced many volumes of ornithology, complete with his own stunning artwork
o Rather important influence to Darwin’s thinking
• Zoology of the Voyage Of the H.M.S. Beagle, 1841
o Based on Darwin’s specimens
o Pointed out that the Galapagos birds were def. related to each other and were ancestors of South American birds
Term
• Joseph Hooker
Definition
o Botanist who studied Darwin’s plants
o Also an important influence in his thinking
Term
• “The Descent of Man”
Definition
o another novel produced by Darwin
o detailed the evolution of humans
o wasn’t in Origin because he didn’t think society was ready for that type of thunking
Term
Darwin's Death
Definition
dies in 1882
o He is buried in Westminster Abbey
Term
• Carolus Linnaeus
Definition
o 1707-1778
o Inventor of binomial nomenclature
o Systema Nature
• Complete listing of every known organism
o (10th ed. 1758)
• had been boiled down to the two names
o This cataloging motivated many naturalists to go collect and identify specimens
Term
• Simon Habel
Definition
o Next scientist to visit to the Galapagos after Darwin (1868) – nearly 30 years after Darwin
o Made an extensive collection of finches
o Carefully labeled the ones he caught there
Term
o Philip Sclater and Osbert Salvin
Definition
• These two scientists put Habel’s finches into a scientific paper
Term
o Osbert Salvin
Definition
• English naturalist
• 1835-1898
• First to express concern about introduced species
• Concern about damaging effects of introduced species in Galápagos. If species were divinely created in a form perfectly adapted to their habitats, why are they being wiped out so easily by alien species not adapted to that habitat?
• This gave a doubt about creationism
Term
• Louis Agassiz
Definition
o Most famous and influential opponent of Darwin in the US
o Founder of the Museum of Comparative Zoology (Harvard)
o Wife: Elizabeth
o Very religious
o Felt that animals were too complex to have come from a simpler form
o Expeditions in 1865 (Amazon)and 1872 (Galápagos)
• Used these trips to prove his idea
• He didn’t say very much about his findings from the Galapagos
• Noted that the animals showed no fear toward humans-he thought that that was very Anti-Darwinian
o Darwin’s most influential opponent in U.S.
Term
• Elizabeth Agassiz
Definition
o 1822-1907
o First president of Radcliffe University (sister school to Harvard)
o Wife of Louis Agassiz
o All the Galápagos animals were “gay” and “having a great jubilee.” They seemed to “delight in living.”
Term
o Albert Günther
Definition
• 1830-1914
• British Museum of Natural History
• Found that Galapagos tortoises were different from other tortoises
• Collect (kill) all the tortoises we can find before they’re extinct!
• Put them in the museum
• Dispatched HMS Petrol and Triumph to collect all the specimens they could find
Term
o Robert Ridgway
Definition
1850-1929
• Ornithologist
• Smithsonian Institution
• Sent the R/V Albatross goes collecting in the Galápagos (1888 & 1891)
• Aim was to collect all possible Western Hemisphere species missing from American zoos and museums.
• Collecting mainly birds
Term
o George Bauer
Definition
• Yale
• Argues for land bridge theory
• Visited in 1891
Term
o Walter Rothschild
Definition
• 1868-1937
• Richest of the collectors
• British banker and Lay zoologist
• Funded many collecting expeditions
• Commissioned Webster-Harris Expedition to retrieve Galapagos specimens
• 3000 Bird Skins
• 60 live tortoises
• Wanted Galápagos tortoises for his country estate, Tring Park
• He sold his Galapagos finch collection to the American Museum of Natural History
• One of the best collections
• Tortoises went to the London Zoo
Term
o California Academy of Sciences
Definition
• Est. in 1853
• Studied natural history
• Agassiz gave several lectures there
• Bought the R/V Academy
• Academy Bay is named after this organization
• Has the best collection of Galapagos tortoise shells
• Brought back 75,000 specimens from their expedition to the Galapagos
• Burns to the ground in the San Francisco earthquake of 1906
• Luckily this voyage to the Galapagos provided the Academy with all of its specimens
Term
o David Starr Jordan
Definition
• 1830-1914
• Fish taxonomist
• First president of Stanford University
• Advocated the idea that geographic isolation is a requirement of speciation
• Used Darwin’s finches at first, but that wasn’t a good example
Term
o William Beebe
Definition
(1877-1962)
• Made 1923 Galápagos expedition on the Noma
• Wrote “Galapagos At Worlds End”
• Embellished the view of the islands
• No scientific value
Term
o G. Allan Hancock
Definition
• Took Strauch off the island after Ritter died
• The Velero III
• Financed annual trips to the Galapagos
Term
• Peter & Rosemary Grant
Definition
o Most famous Galapagos researchers
o Known for finch studies
• They mist net and catalog each one
• They know every bird on the island
o They do studies for 6 months out of the year, on Daphne Major
o Subjects of “The Beak and the Finch”
o Princeton University
o They can plot the huge amounts of evolution of the finches for year to year
• Their evolutionary changes change very rapidly
o Large Ground Finch, Geospiza magnirostris
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