Potential impacts to the island ecosystems due to Climate Change
The ecosystems in the Galapagos Island are significantly influenced by the climate and changes in the climate. Research has established that global change in the climate cools possibly result in more frequent and more intense variations in the ecosystem of Galapagos. The variations in the sea temperature as well as rainfall may result in devastating impacts on the biodiversity across the entire island.
Higher temperatures are likely to result in altitudinal migrations as well as likely impacts on the nesting success of tortoises (Ellis-Soto et al., 2017). Higher rainfalls may result in enhanced food for the tortoises specifically on the lower island side for instance Pinzon and Espanola. Still, more rain also boost invasive species of insects including fire ants that may result in predation increases on hatchings.
Beach conditions control the temperatures of the nest that are the determinant of the hatching sex ratios. Higher temperature may affect egg development favouring female offspring development. Sea turtles as well rely on marine algae as their main source of food and the production of algae is quite sensitive to the surface temperature of the sea (Wingfield et al., 2018).
Another aspect that is of importance is the flooding and erosion of the beach in which without erosions there would be no sea turtle nests. The production of marine iguanas significantly relies on algal production as the marine algae act as their main source of food. The prevailing conditions as well promote development of coral reefs among them cold-water coral species which are extensively widespread in Galapagos that would be threatened with an increase in the temperatures of the ocean. Mangroves that occupy the region between the land and ocean serve as nursery for numerous species of fish as well as habitat for numerous birds among them mangrove finch. The rise in the sea levels may change the forests inland in case it does not happen quite fast.
The tree-like Opuntia cactus which is one of the icons of the Galapagos island s serve as the main food of numerous terrestrial animals and in case of heavy rains, the cactus is waterlogged and is likely to topple over. This would directly affect the lives of numerous species (Wingfield et al., 2018).
Potential impacts to potable water on the island
Climate change including increase in the temperatures of the sea as well as warming temperatures may result in increased rainfall levels (Rial, Cortizas, Taboada & Rodríguez-Lado, 2017). The sea levels are anticipated to rise by about 1 meter in 2100 even though the rise in the global sea level on the Galapagos islands is a bit of a challenge to predict owing to the volcanic activity on certain island which could result in a subside or even a rise in the land. The overall effect of these changes would result in a reduction of potable water on the island as there would be excessive supply of water even to the arid regions.
Likely impact to the tourism based economy
Tourism is one single most significant economic activity that is undertaken in the Galapagos for close to 80% of the economy of the island with the tourism being nearly nature based. Change in climate is anticipated to acts a source of threat to all the species which research indicates are the most important to the tourists. Numerous declines in such species may result in a reduction in tourism or even a change from nature based tourism to one that is more mass-market and resort based tourism (Wingfield et al., 2018). The shift might further pose a threat to the wildlife species since such style of tourism would likely demand extra urban development as well as natural resources and lead to increased loss of habitat for the wildlife as well as pollution.
Strategies to water management
- Redistribution of water
- Rational use of groundwater
- Renovation of conventional water sources
Green technology
Conservation of freshwater: Most of the species on the islands mainly depend on water as their habitats for the case of aquatic species or a source of food in which most of the marine algae develop (Moya, Jacome & Yoo, 2017). Freshwater may thus be conserved through avoiding exposure to possible pollution as well as having rainwater collection systems that would be used in the collection of rainwater to supplement the available freshwater during the dry seasons and in cases of inadequacies.
Water conservation policies that would help address water shortages
- Education to shift lifestyles as well consumption
- Coming up with new technologies for water conservation
- Recycling of wastewater
- Promoting irrigation and agricultural practices
- Improvement of water catchment and harvesting
- Development of energy efficient desalination plants
The policy that is recommended for Galapagos Island includes recycling of wastewater as well as improvement of harvesting and water catchment. These policies would ensure the available water is conserved and made ready when need arises.
References
Ellis-Soto, D., Blake, S., Soultan, A., Guézou, A., Cabrera, F., & Lötters, S. (2017). Plant species dispersed by Galapagos tortoises surf the wave of habitat suitability under anthropogenic climate change. PloS one, 12(7), e0181333
Moya, W., Jacome, G., & Yoo, C. (2017). Past, current, and future trends of red spiny lobster based on PCA with MaxEnt model in Galapagos Islands, Ecuador. Ecology and evolution, 7(13), 4881-4890
Rial, M., Cortizas, A. M., Taboada, T., & Rodríguez-Lado, L. (2017). Soil organic carbon stocks in Santa Cruz Island, Galapagos, under different climate change scenarios. Catena, 156, 74-81
Wingfield, J. C., Hau, M., Boersma, P. D., Romero, L. M., Hillgarth, N., Ramenofsky, M., … & Wikelski, M. (2018). Effects of El Niño and La Niña Southern Oscillation events on the adrenocortical responses to stress in birds of the Galapagos Islands. General and comparative endocrinology, 259, 20-33
