Galápagos: Islands of Change

Catalog description

Biologically, geologically, and culturally, the Galápagos are one of the best places on Earth to study the forces of change. Here, in 1835, Charles Darwin noted how giant tortoises, finches, and other taxa evolved different forms across the archipelago. Species on the islands have transformed in response to other species and the physical environment, through periods of isolation and connection, as new islands were created and old islands submerged over time, The most powerful changes now are of human origin. People are an increasing source of habitat destruction, overexploitation, and introduced species. But they are also a source of hope, with government agencies, researchers, NGOs, educators, and other informed citizens designing promising new approaches. Students will explore multifaceted forces of change in the Galápagos and contribute directly to sustainable solutions to current issues. Before and after the field experience, students complete coursework in Dragonfly’s web learning community. Cross-listed with BIO.