Marine Biodiversity Research

For more than 20 years, our researchers have been recording data on three major groups of marine macrofauna: fish, macroinvertebrates, and sessile organisms. We evaluate species richness, diversity, abundance, and size, as well as the distribution, composition, and structure of marine communities.

The goal is to enhance species inventory, recognize biodiversity's importance, assess non-indigenous species arrivals, and document potential extinctions or changes in population.

Understanding such ecological variation and trends over the long term is vital to help predict ecosystem-wide ecological responses to climate change and other anthropogenic stressors, and to build resilient management plans.

Invasive species are organisms that harm the native and endemic species in a new environment where they are introduced. The introduction of alien species is the second most important driver of biodiversity loss globally, after habitat destruction, and the most important driver of biodiversity loss for oceanic islands. Therefore, it represents a major threat to marine biodiversity and a priority area of research for CDF.

We deploy PVC settlement plates to passively collect benthic invertebrates and create a baseline database of species present in the GMR. Our investigation specifically examines the potential spillover of introduced species from human-made habitats (such as docks and moorings) to natural environments throughout the archipelago.

In a broader context, our goal is to comprehend the risk, both in terms of extent and impact, posed by non-native marine species already present in the GMR and those that have the potential to be introduced. This then serves as a model for evaluating invasion dynamics and refining management strategies applicable to island ecosystems and Marine Protected Areas (MPAs). Our research informs decision makers on biosecurity protocols where we emphasize prevention, early detection, and rapid response within the GMR and the ETP.

Our researchers monitor coral health throughout the GMR looking for vulnerable reef sites that could be impacted by El Niño Southern Oscillation (ENSO) events, climate change, and other anthropogenic impacts.

Through extensive surveys and advanced technology, we assess the resilience of these ecosystems, seeking insights into recovery mechanisms. Our work involves comprehensive analyses of coral and algae cover using large-area imagery to track individual colonies over time. This data, combined with oceanographic information, contributes to a thorough understanding of ENSO impacts in Galapagos, informing effective management strategies and aiding in future El Niño predictions.

This work is crucial because coral reefs are scarce in the Galapagos, having experienced a 97% reduction during the catastrophic 1982-1983 El Niño event. With climate change expected to increase the frequency and strength of such events, our efforts become even more vital to safeguard these vulnerable ecosystems.

Our researchers use climate modeling to evaluate changes in currents due to temperature rise and determine how these changes affect the transport of nutrients, larvae, and non-indigenous species. Such information is central to understanding climate change patterns and to help us predict ecosystem-wide ecological responses.