Abstract
González, J. A., C. Montes, J. Rodríguez, and W. Tapia. 2008. Rethinking the Galapagos Islands as a complex social-ecological system: implications for conservation and management. Ecology and Society 13(2): 13. https://doi.org/10.5751/ES-02557-130213
Highlights
The Galapagos archipelago is globally renowned for its unique biodiversity and as a natural laboratory for the study of evolution
The ecological and evolutionary processes characteristic of Galapagos have been minimally affected by human activities, and the archipelago still retains most of its original, unique biodiversity
We present the concept of the Galapagos Islands as a linked social-ecological systems (SESs) and revisit its current situation from a systems approach, using resilience theory as a new perspective from which to understand the dynamics of the archipelago and to organize thought about management options
Summary
The Galapagos archipelago is globally renowned for its unique biodiversity and as a natural laboratory for the study of evolution. The fact that almost 97% of the land is protected as a National Park, along with the historical absence of aboriginal populations and the late human colonization of the islands, explains why the archipelago has remained in a nearly pristine condition until modern times These circumstances turn Galapagos into a valuable social-ecological laboratory for research concerning the development of early links and interactions between social and natural systems, as well as a benchmark for monitoring the consequences of human activities on ecosystems and natural processes in the face of global change. Certain development trends and anthropogenic pressures, mostly related to population growth, increasing demand for goods and services, and the arrival of invasive species, are in conflict with the conservation goals and threaten the ecological integrity of the archipelago These disruptions are driving the transformation of natural ecosystems and the depletion of some populations of native and endemic species, especially on the inhabited islands (Bensted-Smith 2002). We discuss the particularities of Galapagos as an SES and compare current management practices with those that emerge from a resilience-based approach
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