Oceanic islands and climate: using a multi-criteria model of drivers of change to select key conservation areas in Galapagos.

Published in Regional Environmental Change, v. 2:47
Authors

Escobar-Camacho, D., Rosero, P., Castrejón, M., Mena, C.F., Cuesta, F.
Publication year 2021
DOI https://doi.org/10.1007/s10113-021-01768-0
Affiliations

Department of Health Behavior, Gillings School of Global Public Health, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA E-Mail: kurt_ribisl@unc.edu
Department of Family Medicine, School of Medicine, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, CB 7595, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA E-Mail: aog@med.unc.edu
Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
Duke Global Health Institute, Duke University, Box 90519, Durham, NC 27708, USA E-Mail: william.pan@duke.edu
Nicholas School of Environment, Duke University, Box 90519, Durham, NC 27708, USA 
IAI Program

SGP-HW 017
IAI Project SGP-HW 017
Keywords
Island ecosystems . Global environmental changes
Impact assessment
high-ecological value areas
Adaptation
PDFEscobar-Camacho2021_Article_OceanicIslandsAndClimateUsingA.pdf

Abstract

 

The unique marine and terrestrial ecosystems of the Galapagos Islands are highly vulnerable to human-based drivers of change, including the introduction of invasive species, unsustainable tourism, illegal fishing, overexploitation of ecosystem services, and climate change. These drivers can interact with climate-based drivers such as El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) at multiple temporal and spatial scales, exacerbating their negative impacts on already fragile ecosystems and the socioeconomic system of the Archipelago. In this review, we performed a literature review based on published literature from 1945 to 2020 and local and global climate databases to analyze drivers of change in the Galapagos. We developed and applied a spatial impact assessment model to identify high-ecological value areas with high sensitivity and exposure scores to environmental change drivers. We identified 13 priority HEVA that encompass ca. 23% (14,715 km2) of the Galapagos Archipelago, distributed in nearly 3% of the Galapagos Marine Reserve and 20% Galapagos National Park. Current and future impacts are likely to concentrate on the inhabited islands&rsquo highlands, whereas marine impacts concentrate along most of the Galapagos Islands&rsquo shorelines. These results are important for guiding the design and implementation of adaptation measures aimed at increasing ecosystem resilience and human adaptive capacity in the face of global environmental change. Overall, these results will be valuable in their application for preserving Galapagos biota, securing the provision of vital ecosystem services for resident human populations, and sustaining the nature-based tourism industry.