1. Galapagos Adaptations: The Marine Iguana
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2. Climate Change and the Marine Iguana
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3. Read the following facts about climate change –
What is climate change? Discuss what you think it means with a learning partner.
Climate change is a long-term change in the Earth’s weather patterns and/or average temperatures. It is a change that happens on a large scale.
Read the following facts about climate change –
The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) estimate global average temperatures could increase between 2 and 4°C by As the Galapagos is located near the equator, it is likely temperatures would rise by the global average.
Oceans are absorbing more heat from the atmosphere. As they do so the temperature of the upper layers of the ocean are likely to increase.
An increase in surface temperatures could lead to less upwelling of cold water. The cold water provides more nutrients for marine life than the warmer waters that will replace it.
It is predicted that oceans are going to become more acidic. This is likely to cause a loss of biodiversity.
Rising sea levels will lead to increased coastal erosion.
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4. El Niño Galapagos Islands
Some research suggests there may be more frequent and severe El Niño events.
El Niño is a naturally occurring weather event that brings a warm ocean current southwards in the Pacific Ocean, moving towards the shores of South America and Galapagos. The Humboldt Current that usually brings cold, nutrient rich waters doesn’t reach the islands and so ecosystems are affected. Ocean temperatures can rise by up to 8°C.
As well as disrupting ocean temperatures, increased rain or drought can occur. In Galapagos, the result is usually an increase in rainfall on land.
El Niño events usually occur every 2-7 years. The last major El Niño was in 1997/1998. The effects of the 2015 El Niño are yet to be measured.
Chart showing high ocean surface temperatures in December 1997 during the strong El Niño.
Galapagos Islands
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5. What does this mean for marine life of the Galapagos?
Look at the animals below that rely on the marine environment. With a learning partner discuss which animals you think will be most affected by the results of El Niño - an increase in sea temperatures leading to a reduction in algal sea beds and other food sources for marine life.
Share your ideas with the rest of the class.
bottlenose dolphin
bacalao grouper
sea lion
frigatebird
Galapagos penguin
hammerhead shark
marine iguana
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6. What does this mean for the marine iguana?
An overall increase in temperature could interfere with egg development of the iguanas. Iguanas lay their eggs in the soft, sandy soils on or near beaches.
Increased coastal erosion from rising sea levels will reduce the area available for nesting.
A rise in sea temperature alters the food chain, as less nutrients are available for marine life. The red-green algae that the iguanas feed on die back, resulting in a lack of food. Many of them starve.
During the severe El Niño of , the marine iguana population suffered dramatically. On the island of Fernandina, their numbers decreased by almost 50%.
Want to know more? Investigate the ‘Case of the Shrinking Dragons’…….
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