The Remarkable Flora and Fauna of the Galapagos
The Galapagos Islands’ species diversification would seem wildly unbalanced compared to mainland species diversification. There are only six terrestrial mammals (two bat species and four rat species) and no amphibians on the Galapagos Islands, compared to about 22 species of reptiles and 56 species of native birds. In some ways, visiting the Galapagos Islands is like returning to the dinosaurs’ time, when reptiles dominated the planet.
This mismatch between the flora and animals can be explained in two ways. One is that the islands are very young geologically, meaning species have needed more time to arrive and evolve. However, the islands’ remoteness also contributes to this imbalance.
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Visitors to the Galapagos Islands are frequently amazed by the vibrant array of life they encounter.
Volcanic activity formed the Galapagos Islands and shaped their unique Flora and Fauna. Española and San Cristobal, the oldest islands in the archipelago, are in its eastern region. One of the newest and westernmost islands is Fernandina Island, which is still being formed by the island’s active volcano. This explains why Fernandina is such a unique travel destination. Viewers can see lava flows and distinctive wildlife populations that human activity has not significantly impacted.
The Emergence of Life
All of the life that currently exists on the Galapagos Islands originated elsewhere due to long-distance dispersal because the islands are 600 miles from the closest landmass and were never connected to it.
Air and water are the only modes of conveyance that can bring life to the Galapagos Islands. Even worse, most of the plants and animals on the islands are native to North, Central, and South America, as well as the Caribbean. As a result, every newcomer to the Galapagos confronted a vast stretch of open water and exceedingly difficult weather on their voyage there. The journey was challenging, whether they were carried by luck, their strong determination, or a combination of the two. The only ones who could survive the difficult game of strength and luck were the most suited for the journey.
More giant creatures with powerful swimming or flying abilities, such as sea birds, sea lions, and sea turtles, reached the archipelago independently. Still, the journey was not easy even for them. The animals (penguins, for example) were probably blown off course by wind or ocean currents during migration or eating, and they were left to spend weeks in the harsh sun without access to freshwater before reaching the Galapagos Islands.
By Wind
Experts also think the wind brought many tiny plants and insects to the archipelago. Low-form plants (ferns, mosses, and lichens) would have produced lightweight seeds and spores that the wind might have dangerously transported across the ocean to the islands. As a result, plants with heavier seeds—vascular plants, for example—are rare in the Galapagos (apart from seeds intended for wind transportation, like dandelion seeds). Along with weaker-flying land birds and bats, wind currents aided small insects and snails in migrating to the islands. A few plant species were further enhanced by traveling with visiting birds, being affixed to their feet or feathers, or even passing through their digestive tracts.
By Water
But researchers largely agree that the species that did not have the luxury of swimming—mammals and small reptiles—arrived in Galapagos on rafts of vegetation that formed spontaneously. It’s hard to believe, but only a few rafts would have established the current fauna population—in fact, it’s more likely that most of these rafts sank before they reached their destination.
These creatures would have lacked food and water, were exposed to intense winds and sunlight, and had terrible circumstances in the saltwater. Therefore, the “raft” idea explains why there are so few mammals, no amphibians, and many reptiles. Reptiles only need modest amounts of food and water (short-term) and are conditioned to survive weeks of intense light and greater salinities. On the other hand, amphibians could not make the long trek without fresh water, and very few animals could have survived under these circumstances.
Still, it’s safe to infer that even more species that made it to the Galapagos Archipelago could not withstand the dreadful journey. However, this enhances the beauty of the islands, which were created by the culmination of chance in the last great test of nature’s might.
