Eradicating feral cats to protect Galapagos Land Iguanas: methods and strategies

A three-year programme to eradicate Feral Cats Felis catus from the island of Baltra in the Galapagos archipelago achieved good results by Initially poisoning with sodium monofluoroacetate (compound 1080) then trapping or shooting the remaining cats. The poisoning campaign removed 90% of the cats, its success being attributable to pre-baiting with unpolsoned baits to accustom cats to eating baits and placing enough baits to ensure that all cats encountered several baits within their home range. This, together with the use of metaclopromide (Pileran) as an anti-emetic, overcame a problem associated with poor retention of 1080 in thawed fish baits that limited the dose available to 1 mg 1080lbait, a quality Insufficient to kill large cats. Removal of the remaining cats was delayed by a weather-Induced irruption of Black Rats Rattus rattus and House Mice Mus musculus that enabled recruitment of kittens in 2002, but made cats more susceptible to trapping and shooting in 2003 when rodent populations collapsed. Since July 2003 no sign of a cat has been detected on Baltra despite extensive searching and monitoring throughout 2004. As cat abundance has decreased there have been more locally-bred Juvenile iguanas (Conolophus subcristatus) seen during annual censuses. However, such recruitment may reflect the increasing maturity and higher fecundity of iguanas repatriated from 1991 onwards rather than being a direct result of reduced cat predation alone. More time is necessary to determine the benefits of reduced cat predation on the Iguana population.

GALAPAGOS: UN ECOSISTEMA INSULAR INTERVENIDO

Presenta un estudio preliminar que muestra Galápados como un territorio insular intervenido.

Tracking the magmatic evolution of island arc volcanism : insights from a high-precision Pb isotope record of Montserrat, Lesser Antilles

The volcanic succession on Montserrat provides an opportunity to examine the magmatic evolution of island arc volcanism over a ∼2.5 Ma period, extending from the andesites of the Silver Hills center, to the currently active Soufrière Hills volcano (February 2010). Here we present high-precision double-spike Pb isotope data, combined with trace element and Sr-Nd isotope data throughout this period of Montserrat's volcanic evolution. We demonstrate that each volcanic center; South Soufrière Hills, Soufrière Hills, Centre Hills and Silver Hills, can be clearly discriminated using trace element and isotopic parameters. Variations in these parameters suggest there have been systematic and episodic changes in the subduction input. The SSH center, in particular, has a greater slab fluid signature, as indicated by low Ce/Pb, but less sediment addition than the other volcanic centers, which have higher Th/Ce. Pb isotope data from Montserrat fall along two trends, the Silver Hills, Centre Hills and Soufrière Hills lie on a general trend of the Lesser Antilles volcanics, whereas SSH volcanics define a separate trend. The Soufrière Hills and SSH volcanic centers were erupted at approximately the same time, but retain distinctive isotopic signatures, suggesting that the SSH magmas have a different source to the other volcanic centers. We hypothesize that this rapid magmatic source change is controlled by the regional transtensional regime, which allowed the SSH magma to be extracted from a shallower source. The Pb isotopes indicate an interplay between subduction derived components and a MORB-like mantle wedge influenced by a Galapagos plume-like source.

The Lake of the Cemetery

This is brief paper written in the "here and now" as the event happened and describes the early morning journey of the author by balsa wood raft to the breeding colony of greater flamingoes (Phoenicopterus ruber) on the island of Isabela in the Galapagos archipelago in 1976. Isabela comprises five volcanoes in a north south alignment. The Lake of the Cemetary is close to the site of a former penal colony which is now the only village on the island. The ethological observations at the bird colony are discussed.

In the pink

The article describes three years work carried out by the author and Elizabeth Tindle, on the Greater Flamingo (Phoenicopterus ruber) in the Galapagos Islands Ecuador. Further studies have verified that the Galapagos flamingo has evolved into a new sub-species since arriving from the Caribbean 70 thousand years ago.

Channel Islands marine protected areas first 5 years of monitoring: 2003-2008 [Report produced by the California Department of Fish and Game in collaboration with the Partnership for Interdisciplinary Studies of Coastal Oceans (PISCO), Channel Islands National Marine Sanctuary, and Channel Islands National Park]

The Channel Islands—sometimes called the Galapagos of North America—are known for their great beauty, rich biodiversity, cultural heritage, and recreational opportunities. In 1980, in recognition of the islands’ importance, the United States Congress established a national park encompassing 5 of California’s Channel Islands (Santa Barbara, Anacapa, Santa Cruz, Santa Rosa, and San Miguel Islands) and waters within 1 nautical mile of the islands. In the same year, Congress declared a national marine sanctuary around each of these islands, including waters up to 6 nautical miles offshore. Approximately 60,000 people visit the Channel Islands each year for aquatic recreation such as fishing, sailing, kayaking, wildlife watching, surfing, and diving. Another 30,000 people visit the islands for hiking, camping, and sightseeing. Dozens of commercial fishing boats based in Santa Barbara, Ventura, Oxnard, and other ports go to the Channel Islands to catch squid, spiny lobster, sea urchin, rockfish, crab, sheephead, flatfish, and sea cucumber, among other species. In the past few decades, advances in fishing technology and the rising number of fishermen, in conjunction with changing ocean conditions and diseases, have contributed to declines in some marine fishes and invertebrates at the Channel Islands. In 1998, citizens from Santa Barbara and Ventura proposed establishment of no-take marine reserves at the Channel Islands, beginning a 4-year process of public meetings, discussions, and scientific analyses. In 2003, the California Fish and Game Commission designated a network of marine protected areas (MPAs) in state waters around the northern Channel Islands. In 2006 and 2007, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) extended the MPAs into the national marine sanctuary’s deeper, federal waters. To determine if the MPAs are protecting marine species and habitats, scientists are monitoring ecological changes. They are studying changes in habitats; abundance and size of species of interest; the ocean food web and ecosystem; and movement of fish and invertebrates from MPAs to surrounding waters. Additionally, scientists are monitoring human activities such as commercial and recreational fisheries, and compliance with MPA regulations. This booklet describes some results from the first 5 years of monitoring the Channel Islands MPAs. Although 5 years is not long enough to determine if the MPAs will accomplish all of their goals, this booklet offers a glimpse of the changes that are beginning to take place and illustrates the types of information that will eventually be used to assess the MPAs’ effectiveness. (PDF contains 24 pages.)

Gillraker analysis and speciation in the thread herring genus Opisthonema

ENGLISH: The thread herrings, genus Opisthonema, family Clupeidae, are marine fishes that occur only in tropical and subtropical waters off both coasts of the American continent. The genus is composed of one Atlantic species and four Pacific species. Opisthonema oglinum (LeSueur), the single species in the western Atlantic Ocean, occurs from Brazil to Massachusetts, at Bermuda, and throughout the West Indies. Opisthonema libertate (Günther), Opisthonema bulleri (Regan), and Opisthonema medirastre, new species, are Pacific coastal species which occur together from Peru to Mexico (with at least one occasionally in California). Opisthonema berlangai, new species, is confined to the vicinity of the Galapagos Islands. SPANISH: Los arenques de hebra, género Opisthonema, familia Clupeidae, son peces marinos que se encuentran sólo en aguas tropicales y subtropicales cerca a ambas costas del continente americano. El género está compuesto de una especie en el Atlántico y de cuatro en el Pacifico. Opisthonema oglinum (LeSueur), única especie que medra el Océano Atlántico occidental, se encuentra del Brasil a Massachusetts, en Bermuda, y las Indias Occidentales. Opisthonema libertate (Günther), Opisthonema bulleri (Regan), y Opisthonema medirastre, especie nueva, son especies costaneras del Pacífico que aparecen entremezcladas del Perú a México (ocasionalmente por lo menos una de ellas en California). Opisthonema berlangai, especie nueva, está confinada a la vecindad de las Islas Galápagos.

Sea surface temperature and the distribution and apparent abundance of skipjack (Katsuwonus pelamis) in the Eastern Pacific Ocean, 1951-1968

ENGLISH: Isograms of sea surface temperature (OC) have been produced for 1949-1968 for the areas of the eastern Pacific Ocean in which the majority of the skipjack catch is taken. These are in the immediate coastal zone, California (35° N) to Chile (20 0 S), and the Revillagigedo and Galapagos Islands groups. Skipjack occurrence and apparent abundance (as CSDF, i.e., catch per standard days fishing, standardized in purse-seiner units) for 1951-1968 were then superimposed on the surface temperature isograms. Results show that skipjack occur at surface temperatures> 17° C but with the majority between 20°-30° C. Apparent abundance at CSDF > 1 ton/day is normally Iimited to 20°29° C water, except in two areas in certain years; from the Gulf of Tehuantepec to Cape Mala rates of 1-9 tons/day are relatively common at 29°-30° C, and off Chimbote (Peru) occasionally >9 tons/day are recorded down to 18° C. As expected there were no apparent relationships between annual thermal conditions in the coastal zone and skipjack abundance (total catch or indices of abundance) in the same or 2 subsequent years. An Appendix to the report determines the quantitative relationships between surface temperature and skipjack abundance in relatively small areal strata in Baja California waters in 1955 and 1958. Relationships generally appeared significant and opposite in these years when temperatures were respectively anomalously cold and warm. SPANISH: Se han producido isogramas de la temperatura de la superficie del mar (OC) para 1949-1968 correspondientes a las áreas del Océano Pacífico oriental en donde se obtiene la mayor parte de la captura de barrilete. Estas se encuentran ubicadas en la zona costanera inmediata, desde California (35°N) hasta Chile (200S) y en las Islas Revillagigedo y Galápagos. La ocurrencia de barrilete y su abundancia aparente (expresada como CDSP standardizada en unidades de cerqueros) para 1951-1968 fueron luego superpuestas en los isogramas de la temperatura superficial. Los resultados demuestran que el barrilete aparece en temperaturas superficiales de > 17°C pero la mayoría entre los 20°C-30°C. La abundancia aparente de la CDSP > 1 tonelada/día se limita normalmente a aguas de 20°-29°C, excepto en dos áreas en ciertos años; desde el Golfo de Tehuantepec a Cabo Mala las tasas de 1-9 toneladas/día son relativamente comunes en los 29°-30°C, y frente a Chimbote (Perú) se registran ocasionalmente> 9 toneladas/día a una temperatura tan fría como de 18°C. Como era de esperarse no existió una relación aparente entre las condiciones térmicas anuales de la zona costanera y la abundancia del barrilete (captura total o índices de abundancia) en el mismo año o en los 2 años siguientes. Un Apéndice del informe determina la relación cuantitativa entre la temperatura superficial y la abundancia del barrilete en un estrato de áreas relativamente pequeño en las aguas de Baja California en 1955 y 1968. Las relaciones generalmente aparecieron significativas y opuestas en esos años cuando las temperaturas fueron respectivamente anómalamente frías y calientes. (PDF contains 53 pages.)